NYPD supporters fuming at Chipotle over Facebook 'hands up' protest post

[Jesus Malverde]

Supporters of the New York Police Department have risen up in anger against the unlikely target of Chipotle burrito chefs, thanks to a viral Facebook post that alleged employees of the fast-food chain refused service to eight officers – and despite the chain’s rebuttal of the details contained in the post.

Chipotle’s involuntary participation in the racially charged debate over police behaviour gripping New York began on 17 December, when Ray Melendez, a Brooklyn resident who identified himself as a former NYPD officer, wrote on Facebook – in a post that was deleted on Monday – that “an officer involved at the incident” told him several employees of a local Chipotle had “raised their hands & said: ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ to the officers”.

Melendez said the officers “simply left the location without any further action at the scene rather than provoke what could be a losing situation, given the climate of ‘support’ from our Mayor”. Many members of the NYPD have denounced the mayor, Bill de Blasio, for what they perceive as his support for recent protests over police killings of unarmed black men.

Melendez then quoted a complaint by another former NYPD officer, Scott Lothrop, who said the “familiar but completely erroneous ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot’ gesture” caused the on-duty officers “a great deal of embarrassment, annoyance and humiliation”.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/dec/29/nypd-chipotle-hands-up-facebook-protest

Not clear if the incident actually happened, if it did...

[onecaliberal]

1. Think I will have dinner there tonight, just for good measure.

[rock]

2. Cops DO know they're assholes, don't they?

I know they're stupid too, but not that stupid. So they shouldn't be surprised that they don't get any respect from, well, just about anyone that they don't have a gun drawn on!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. Crybaby cops.

[uppityperson]

4. "hands up" is embarrassing, annoying, humiliating? well, yes, cops, it is. For us too.

As is randomly stopping and questioning us.

[branford]

5. Chipolte apparently conceded on FB that the attempted refusal of service occurred,

but that it was the result of just one employee who did not follow company policy, the matter has been taken care of, and no police would or will be refused service.

Without Garner and the murdered officers, this still would have been a minor local news story. However, since Chipolte has made it abundantly clear that whatever happened with the officers was definitely not approved and will not recur, it doesn't deserve much press.

Chipolte most certainly does not want find itself between NYPD and police reform protesters.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. It wasn't an "attempted refusal of service." - That's bull shit.

[branford]

9. Below is the statement from the Chipolte CEO with apology.

Their story definitely casts the blame on the spontaneous, unauthorized action of one employee, caught on video.

http://www.inquisitr.com/1714547/nypd-officers-refused-service-chipotle-issues-apology-and-clarification/

[Hassin Bin Sober]

11. Yep. And it wasn't an attempted refusal of service.

That meme was hatched in right wing whiny titty baby land.

[giftedgirl77]

6. Meh, fuck the whiny little shits....

They can all go fuck themselves. I wouldn't trust a cop as far as I could throw the grimy fucker.

[Kalidurga]

8. What a strangely written story

Yeah I dunno what happened. Maybe the cops were wearing "I CAN breath" T-shirts or something that got the Chipotle staff upset or maybe they said something. Or maybe it was a misunderstanding. Or maybe it didn't happen this way at all. Whatever, if you are going to go around choking people to death and then double down on protecting the murder you have to expect not everyone is going to be happy about that.

[branford]

10. One employee, not authorized, caught on video, Chipolte CEO issues clear apology.

http://www.inquisitr.com/1714547/nypd-officers-refused-service-chipotle-issues-apology-and-clarification/