San Francisco

North Beach Restaurant Issues Apology After Refusing Service to SPFD Officers

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A San Francisco restaurant has issued an apology after refusing services to three uniformed police officers last week.

However, critics say the apology isn't enough and they are making it know.

Fourth-generation San Franciscan Steve Ghiselli set up shop in front of the restaurant with a blunt message.

A sign that reads "looter welcomed."

"I am tired of the way the police are being treated," he said. "If something goes wrong here - burglary, robbery, whatever - who are they gonna call?."

The new brunch spot, Hilda and Jesse Restaurant, explained they refused service because their weapons made employees nervous. In their apology, they said they "made a mistake" and handled the situation poorly.

Ghiselli and other who stopped to chat with him say the restaurant went too far.

"Yes, there will be a bad police man rarely, but the way they're being treated in the media and restaurants and establishments like this," he said.

The San Francisco restaurant that refused to serve cops is now apologizing to the police department. NBC Bay Area’ Raj Mathai spoke to Ginger Conejero Saab for more details.

Others like Matt Gereghty, co-owner of Hasta Muerte coffee shop in Oakland, don' agree.

Gereghty made national headlines in 2018 asking Oakland police to leave his shop.

"A lot folks who do that are afraid to say the presence of the police and their history of brutality, history of corruption makes us very uncomfortable," he said.

Hasta Muerte said they experienced what they describe as intimidation after their decision.

However, unlike Hilda and Jesse, they said an overwhelming number of people were in support of their decision to exclude police.

"We had letters and phone calls of support, and materially that support ended up lending us the ability to purchase our building and give long term stability," he said.

NBC Bay Area tried to reach Hilda and Jesse's owners for comment but no response was given.

Over the weekend, they issued a statement that said the following:

“We made a mistake and apologize for the unfortunate incident on Friday when we asked members from the SFPD to leave our restaurant."

Police officers in the area told NBC Bay Area they were a bit shocked to hear about what happened and said North Beach tends to be very officer friendly.

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