A Cape Town restaurant owner is in hot water after putting up a sign some people regarded as racist and Islamaphobic.
The SA Human Rights Commission has received a complaint about the board outside the Liquorice & Lime restaurant in Kloof Street, Gardens, that read: “Eating two strips of bacon daily for breakfast reduces your chance of being a suicide bomber by 100 percent.”
The commission’s spokeswoman, Gail Smith, confirmed the complaint had been laid on Monday, and was being processed, she told Cape Argus.
The board was put up outside the restaurant earlier this year, but made the rounds on social media again last week.
Liquorice & Lime owner Dylan Pritchard was not available for comment, but responded to a post by Caitlin Cloete, who shared a picture of the board.
“Please accept my sincere apologies for any offence. This particular board was displayed in February and removed within the hour as we acknowledged that was a very poor attempt at satire — it was meant to be taken with a pinch of salt and a healthy dose of humour. We seriously have no intent to align ourself with any particular group or alienate ourselves from any other. It was definitely insensitive and misguided.”
Juan Pieterse commented: “Interesting observation: why do most people see this sign as anti-Muslim instead of anti-vegan?”
Shaadia Vawda posted a review on Liquorice & Lime’s Facebook page and said: “Never tasted the food, but when the owners make comments in poor taste, then it renders everything tasteless. In 2016, you should know better.”