J’s Fresh Bar and Kitchen caught up in patron’s assault claims
J’s Fresh Bar and Kitchen is back in the news for all the wrong reasons after a patron claimed that she was allegedly assaulted by the establishment staff, claims they have denied.
Fay Hersi on Friday, claimed on social media that the staff of the establishment slapped her and tried to choke a friend who came to her aid.
“Last night I was slapped and I had lemons/water thrown at me by a female bartender. This all took place because I merely asked for my change back,” she claimed.
I WAS ASSAULTED AT @JsFreshKitchen FOR TWO HOURS PT. 1 (A THREAD) pic.twitter.com/L4gHz0iALX
— Faiza (@Faysbox) December 13, 2019
According to Ms Hersi, the bartender insisted that she had given back her the change and went on to accuse her of being drunk.
She added that the bartender then called in the bouncers who are said to have attempted to forcibly drag her out of the premises.
“At this point, my reflex is to slap this security to get myself free. Thankfully, my friends Emmanuel Jambo, Big Bear, Barak Jacuzzi, Sean Preezy and others saw the situation escalate while one other security choked Sinatta Okello,” she further explained.
Hersi and her friends are said to have asked to review CCTV footage and speak to the manager, but instead a man by the name Vincent appeared.
He allegedly slapped Ms Hersi after she demanded to speak to the real manager.
The incident was reported at Westlands Police Station.
The bar later released a statement saying that a review of CCTV footage would establish what really happened.
“J’s Fresh Bar and Kitchen does not condone and or tolerate acts of violence and or abusive behavior whether from employees, staff or patron,” the statement read.
A few hours later, the establishment released another statement, this time blaming the aggrieved customer.
“After thoroughly going through our CCTV footage and placing the time of the incident recorded by @faysflow and her friends, it is clear that she instigated the situation which escalated,” the statement read.
This is not the first time the establishment is courting controversy. In June, the establishment came under fire following claims by a patron that she had been racially discriminated at the bar.
But in a shocking response, J’s Fresh Bar and Kitchen, which has branches in Westlands and Karen, validated the customer’s complaints while attributing their prefence for Caucasian clientele to the “tip culture, and not racism.”
The establishment later retraced the statement – after it elicited backlash from the public – and issued another statement on their position regarding discriminatory behavior.