A woman says she was left upset and shaken after a man ripped off his shirt and racially abused her before she was then attacked in a McDonald's. Sarah Kutiwa, 28, claims the racist stole her phone and one of his friend's slapped her in the face.
The finance worker was out celebrating her 27th birthday and decided to visit the fast food chain in the early hours of the morning afterwards. However, the group's party spirit soon faded after their horrific experience at the Stockport city centre McDonald's, reports Manchester Evening News.
Sarah csays the incident began at around 5am on November 6, after she heard a man telling a security guard at the store to 'go back to your own country'. The 27-year-old says she then intervened in the situation and told the aggressor that he had 'gone too far' with his racist comments, at which point he turned on her.
The finance worker alleges he then began 'flexing his muscles' and 'got in her face', repeatedly saying 'what you gonna do about it?' As she tried to push him away there was a struggle in which she ripped his shirt, leading to him taking it off completely.
She says it was at this point he exploded and delivered a racial slur at her. Sarah's sister, who was recording the altercation, told the thug 'I got that on tape'.
The confused brute replied 'What? What?' and then proceeded to repeats the slur a further two times. At this point the recording stopped and Sarah claims her friend was slapped and had a homophobic slur thrown at him as he tried to confront the man.
She also says that as she tried to take pictures of the man who had verbally abused her, her phone was snatched from by him, and thrown out of the front door of the restaurant leaving it 'smashed.' Sarah says she was made to pick up a cone from the floor in order to push the man back.
At this point the 27-year-old alleges a second man, who was with her racial abuser, slapped her in the face knocking her head into a wall, which she says caused a bruise on her forehead.
Sarah says she is furious McDonald's security or staff failed to intervene as horrific events began to unfold after she had put herself in harms way for them. She also alleges that the topless man was able to order food and leave the premises in a taxi without being challenged.
Sarah said: "It was my birthday celebration and I just didn't want it to end like that. I have experienced racism before but never physically like that.
"I've never had a random grown man abusing me and howling at me like that. I felt like I had gone back in time in that McDonald's.
"Obviously racism is evident but to hear it right in front of you like that was just horrible. I am upset that I let it get under my skin.
"I'm also upset it escalated like that when I think it could been prevented if they had chucked him out when I asked them to.
"I have never felt so alone. I stood up for the staff but they didn't stand up for me."
A McDonald's spokesperson said: “This incident is subject to an ongoing police investigation. Abhorrent racial abuse has no place in our society and we will cooperate fully with police enquiries.”
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed its investigating "an incident of racist abuse" at the McDonalds on Wellington Road South in the early hours of Sunday. They said they were looking into allegations of a racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm and a racially aggravated public order offence.
Superintendent Shan Nasim of GMP Stockport Division said: "GMP recognises the devastating impact that hate crime can have on individuals. It is an abhorrent crime and specialist officers have been deployed to support the victim.
"We are pursuing multiple lines of enquiry and I can assure you that anyone found committing this type of crime will find themselves subject to criminal proceedings."
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