the usa's leading homosexual news source April 9, 2015 | via Lou Chibbaro Jr. gay man files discrimination grievance in opposition t D.C. Starbucks 
Michael Campbell and Angel Rivera (Washington Blade photograph through Michael Key)
A gay man has filed a discrimination complaint with the D.C. office of Human Rights charging the supervisor of the Starbucks at 1700 Connecticut Ave., N.W., in Dupont North with calling him and his boyfriend anti-homosexual names and assaulting him in an altercation backyard the shop.
Michael Campbell, 30, and Angel Rivera, 22, both D.C. residents, instructed the Washington Blade that Starbucks supervisor Christian Lokossou subjected them to a harrowing war of words throughout their talk over with to the generic espresso shop closing may also 18.
amongst other things, both mentioned he began a verbal confrontation with Campbell – perhaps after seeing both kiss one a different as they positioned their order with yet another worker. Minutes later, both referred to, Lokossou chased after them as they left the keep, hurling anti-gay slurs at them earlier than bumping into Campbell along with his shoulder and chest – all while startled shoppers seated in the patio regarded on.
"you're fucking with the wrong one and i will damage your neck you little fag, and i will smash your spic boyfriend's neck as well," Campbell's grievance charges Lokossou as announcing.
The complaint, which become filed with the D.C. workplace of Human Rights on Nov. 24, 2014, costs that as a result of Lokossou's action, Starbucks violated the D.C. Human Rights Act's provision banning discrimination with the aid of a place of public lodging based on Campbell's sexual orientation and race.
The grievance says Campbell has been a daily customer on the Starbucks save at Connecticut Avenue and R road, N.W. It says he has been subjected to "verbal abuse" through Lokossou in at the least one prior run-in in 2011
"Respondent's manager additionally treats me (white-Italian) in a different way than different valued clientele (non-white)," the criticism states.
"At Starbucks we need all of our customers to have a good experience," Laurel Harper, a Starbucks spokesperson, referred to in an email according to an inquiry by the Blade. "we have zero tolerance for discrimination and take this type of accusation severely," she referred to.
"we are investigating the claims in this case; despite the fact, as a result of this includes pending litigation, we're unable to discuss any extra," Harper noted.
The Blade couldn't automatically reach Lokossou for remark.
The D.C. workplace of Human Rights has a strict policy of no longer commenting on discrimination complaints filed with the workplace until it makes a choice of likely cause the alleged discrimination occurred.
A letter to Campbell dated Dec. 17, 2014, with the aid of Georgia A. Stewart of the D.C. workplace of Human Rights, which Campbell released to the Blade, states, "The D.C. office of Human Rights is in receipt of your can charge of discrimination towards Starbucks."
Stewart's letter advised Campbell of a required mediation technique that every one people that file discrimination complaints should participate in with the birthday celebration being accused of discrimination.
in line with Campbell, the mediation failed to influence in a decision of the case after Starbucks declined to accept any of his proposals for resolution, including an settlement that Lokossou be required to endure counseling and some class of sensitivity training on a way to deal with LGBT consumers in a metropolis with a diverse inhabitants.
Campbell referred to he held off for very nearly six months earlier than he filed his complaint with the hope that he might work whatever out privately with Starbucks. He noted Starbucks' D.C. area district managers appeared to be ignoring his calls except he sent an e mail at once to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who's an outspoken supporter of LGBT rights and identical-intercourse marriage.
Campbell and Rivera talked about the incident that ended in the grievance began when they entered the Starbucks save in may additionally 2014 on a bright fulfilling day intending to indulge in their loved coffee drinks.
They pointed out Lokossou bristled when Campbell in a well mannered way greeted him on the money register through saying "hello Christian." They observed he replied by means of rudely asking them in the event that they were finished with their order and ready to go away the save.
the two said they aren't sure if Lokossou noticed them innocently kiss one one other minutes earlier, but they believe he did see their display of affection.
"you're a funny story, you're loopy, every person sees you are loopy," Campbell's criticism rates Lokossou as saying to Campbell in a voice loud ample for different customers to hear. Campbell spoke of he answered through calling Lokossou "homophobic" and raised his center finger toward the manager before he and Rivera left the keep.
Seconds later, in line with Campbell's complaint, Lokossou followed them backyard the store onto an outside patio area and shouted, "you're fucking with the incorrect one and that i will smash your neck, you little fag, and that i will break your spic boyfriend's neck as well."
Rivera mentioned as many as six Starbucks employees rushed out of the keep in the back of Lokossou shouting at him to come back to the save. "cease, it's now not value it," Rivera quoted one of the vital employees as announcing to Lokossou.
because the commotion unfolded Campbell referred to he frantically tried to call the Starbucks regional manager's workplace on his cellphone to file the incident as he and Rivera walked across R highway and then throughout Connecticut Avenue whereas Lokossou continued to observe them.
"I should have referred to as 911 however I didn't," Campbell advised the Blade. He noted he called the Starbucks regional supervisor because he had contacted that workplace before a couple of outdated verbal run-in with Lokossou.
With Lokossou drawing near him in a rage, Campbell noted he put his telephone on its speaker environment and instructed Lokossou his regional boss was on the road listening.
Campbell observed Lokossou answered with the aid of stopping his identify-calling, but observed he approached Campbell and "shoulder-bumped" and "chest-bumped" him in an action that Campbell and Rivera regarded an assault.
together with his employees shouting for him to come to the store, Lokossou ultimately stopped following Campbell and Rivera, the two referred to, however now not earlier than he made a slashing motion along with his hand throughout his throat. both spoke of they considered that as a probability to shrink their throats.
at least one witness, Tammy Haziel, a D.C. parking enforcement officer, informed Campbell she became so offended with the aid of what she saw that she provided to provide him with a press release and discuss with investigators if Campbell determined to file a complaint.
"I followed that supervisor named Christian call Mr. Campbell and Mr. Campbell's friend every identify within the booklet – spic, faggot, you name it," she informed the Blade in a mobile interview. "It become foul. It changed into disrespectful."
Haziel talked about she also saw Lokossou assault Campbell.
"He used his physique and rammed himself into Mr. Campbell," she said. "It's clear that he has an issue. I don't recognize what that issue is, however he has a problem."
as the two have been driving domestic, Campbell stated he spoke to the primary in a collection of Starbucks officers he communicated with over the subsequent a couple of months with the intention to persuade Starbucks to take action in opposition t Lokossou and prevent an analogous incident from going on again.
He spoke of his preliminary goal become to unravel the rely internally with Starbucks. in preference to calling for Lokossou to be fired Campbell referred to he firstly entreated the enterprise officers he spoke with to provide Lokossou with counseling and a few class of variety practicing.
as an alternative, Campbell noted, Starbucks officers declined those advice and offered to get to the bottom of the matter with the aid of giving him a $a hundred gift card. Campbell observed one of the officials, a Starbucks district supervisor, instructed him he was welcome to return to the Dupont North save nevertheless it can be best if he did so throughout the hours when Lokossou become no longer on duty.
Campbell stated he filed a police record seeking to deliver an assault cost against Lokossou in February. He observed the Metropolitan Police department's homosexual and Lesbian Liaison Unit took the file. He stated police told him later that a choose declined to approve an arrest warrant against Lokossou on grounds that Campbell waited too long to contact police to file the document.
The Blade couldn't instantly determine why the arrest warrant became declined and has submitted a request with police to examine what took place.
[Translate]
Angel RiveraChristian LokossouD.C. workplace of Human RightsDupont CircleGLLUMetropolitan Police department's gay and Lesbian Liaison UnitMichael CampbellMPDStarbucksTammy Haziel
Lou Chibbaro Jr.Lou Chibbaro Jr. has mentioned on the LGBT civil rights move and the LGBT neighborhood for greater than 30 years, starting as a contract writer and later as a body of workers reporter and currently as Senior news Reporter for the Washington Blade. He has chronicled LGBT-related traits as they have got touched on a wide array of social, religious, and governmental associations, including the White house, Congress, the U.S. Supreme courtroom, the militia, native and country wide legislations enforcement agencies and the Catholic Church. Chibbaro has pronounced on LGBT considerations and LGBT participation in local and country wide elections given that 1976. He has lined the AIDS epidemic seeing that it first surfaced within the early Eighties. comply with Lou
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