Tensions have flared once again between a Flushing, Queens location of McDonald's and its patrons. The New York Times reports several Korean community groups are calling for a boycott of a Main Street franchise after video recently surfaced of an incident that took place in February. The video allegedly shows a McDonald's employee attacking a 62-year-old Korean customer with a broom after he complained that he wasn't being served, smacking his cell phone out of his hand. The police were called, and the employee, Rooshi Sajjad, eventually pled guilty to attempted assault, a charge that will be dismissed "if she stays out of trouble."
In a $10 million civil lawsuit, victim James Jim Kim claims Sajjad explicitly told him that "we don't serve coffee to people like you," while other McDonald's employees stood around laughing. Local news station CBS2, which exclusively aired footage of the broom incident on Monday, reported Sajjad is still employed by McDonald's, prompting protests by community leaders. According to the NYT, eight representatives from four Korean community groups protested outside the restaurant, holding signs that read "Customer Hitting Manager Still in Place" and "U Can B Hit in McDonald's."
In January of this year, a different Flushing location of McDonald's drew attention for calling 911 on groups of loitering senior citizens, complaining that "elderly Korean patrons" used the restaurant as a community center while purchasing little. That issue was eventually resolved. Meanwhile, Kim's civil lawsuit is still pending.