Abuse, violence and aggression from customers towards staff is rife in the hospitality sector, as in other service industries.
So why did only one instance capture the public imagination, and why was it necessary to identify the perpetrator by his religion?
Reading online comments, you’d think only people from ethnic minority backgrounds are guilty of such behaviour. Of course, they’re not.
Antisocial behaviour is a problem in all communities, cutting across gender, class, ethnicity, language, and financial status.
Hospitality staff should not have to put up with threats to their safety at work. But if we’re going to start publicly shaming perpetrators, let’s do it for all.
Otherwise, it just looks like another attempt to problematise a particular community, associating all with the actions of an individual.
Would we really do the same for the multitude of drunkards that assault and abuse restaurant staff every Friday and Saturday night?
Last modified: 29 August 2024
