A woman who was caught on camera racially abusing a Black worker at a bakery in New York City has said on social media that "the South will rise again."
Stephanie Denaro, from Queens, made the comment on her Instagram account in November last year. Many of her social media posts show her wearing a "Make American Great Again" hat, which is synonymous with the former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The racist outburst at the bakery happened inside Essex Market on Manhattan's Lower East Side around 3 p.m. on the afternoon of March 21, after Denaro refused to wear a mask.
Denaro, wearing sunglasses and standing at the counter with a child in a pram, is seen arguing with staff in the video footage, which was shared on social media. Denaro, who was not wearing a mask, also had four other kids with her.
A row broke out between Denaro and the staff as the customer wasn't wearing a mask. A worker told the customer: "Ma'am, he's not going to serve you, so please leave."
"Why, cause he's a b***h-ass [n-word]?" she responded, before repeating the slur.
Security then escorted the woman out of the bakery, while another person said they would call police.
A spokesperson for the New York Police Department confirmed to PIX11 News that it does not have a complaint or 911 call related to the incident.
"I said, 'You're a b***h-ass [n-word]' a term they use," Denaro told the New York Daily News on Tuesday. "All of my children have a Black father. That's a term I've heard them use all my life."
She told the paper she thought COVID-19 was "a hoax" to convince people to use absentee ballots and steal the election from former President Donald Trump.
Davidovich Bakery released a statement on social media on Tuesday condemning Denaro's behavior and expressing the company's support for how the affected workers for handled the racial outburst.
"We want to commend our employee on his handling of the sad incident which occurred at the Essex Market. As is true with any family, an attack on one member of the family is an attack on all of us. Davidovich is a family-run business and a family. We stand with all our employees for handling this situation of hate and bigotry with professionalism and grace. We intend to make it clear that this customer or anyone who uses racism and any insensitive language, simply is not welcome in our stores," the bakery said.
Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday launched a racial justice commission that will be tasked with dismantling structural racism and addressing the disparities laid bare by the pandemic.
The 11-member panel's key responsibilities will include reviewing the city's charter and recommending revisions or policy changes that will create a more equitable community. Reparations for Black New York residents may also be considered by the commission, de Blasio said.
