A local restaurant is receiving negative backlash for a sign on their wall supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
Imagine Vegan Café, located on Young Avenue, has been in the spotlight on social media since Sunday, after a photo was shared of a sign hanging on the wall with the text “I Can’t Breathe” and “Black Lives Matter.” The sign also had decorative pigs around it, which many people believe refers to police officers.
“It all started on Sunday when a customer was eating and took a very general picture of his family and posted it on Facebook,” said Adam Jeffrey, who owns the restaurant with his wife Kristie. “One of their Facebook friends noticed this sign on the wall and posted it on a site that stands against the movement.”
Since the picture made its rounds, people have swarmed the comment criticizing the restaurant.
“man you people are whack jobs. and im also betting you post D. hope youre proud,” said one post.
“Awesome message!! Oh wait, no!!!!! Perhaps lack of meat = lack of oxygen in your brain,” said another.
Someone called the restaurant’s to-go number angry about the post, Jeffery said.
“We are a family restaurant, my 13-year-old daughter answered the phone,” he said. “This person started going off and asking her whether or not we serve police. Later, this person posted online that we said that we hate the police and don’t serve them, which isn’t true nor is that anything my daughter would ever say.”
Jeffrey posted an official statement to the Imagine Facebook page on Sunday night, which helped to rally the restaurant’s supporters.
“Unfortunately, we live in a society that is built on systemic and institutional racism,” Jeffrey said in the official statement. “Thus, it is important to emphasize that Black Lives matter in solidarity with the Oppressed within our society. Standing in solidarity with the Oppressed is, after all, the very reason that Imagine Vegan Cafe exists in the first place.”
Believing in the power of nonviolent peace and love, the Jeffreys said they are standing with the oppressed.
“The thing people don’t realize is that we only exist because we believe that all lives matter,” Jeffrey said. “But this includes animal lives, and it is hypocritical to believe otherwise. That being said, in this time, it needs to be emphasized that black lives matter.”
