White Dunkin’ Donuts Owner Calls Police On Black Woman For Using Free Wi-Fi

In the latest case of while black, a white woman called the police on a Black woman for using a local #DunkinDonuts’ Wi-Fi while on her laptop.

#TirzaWilbonWhite is a regular customer at the Fairfax Fairfax Dunkin’ Donuts, but on Nov. 7 she was harassed by a white woman after she opened her laptop to use the shop’s free Wi-Fi. The woman, who identified herself as the owner, told White that she’d have to make a purchase if she wanted to stay. “I was dressed in a hoodie, yoga pants, no makeup,” White told the news station. “I felt racially profiled.”

White immediately took her phone to record the harassment; the video was later uploaded to Facebook. The woman was identified as Christina Cabral, who told White she’s had problems with customers before. “I need to ensure safety to my customers and I’m not saying that you’re a problem, but I’ve had problems in the past,” the owner said. White told NBC4, “I hadn’t committed a crime. I wasn’t yelling. I wasn’t disruptive. I wasn’t rude.”

White said she felt targeted, but the owner said she has people of color in her family. “Don’t get into racial profiling. You can leave my location. I find that offensive,” Cabral told White. Cabral then dialed the police. “I didn’t leave because I didn’t want to give the impression I had done anything wrong. I also didn’t want someone writing down my license plate and having police officers come to my door where I would then be forced to explain, completely out of context and without witnesses. So I stayed at DD until they arrived,” White explained.

When police arrived, they escorted White out of the establishment. When White asked why she had to leave the cop responded, “Because she wants you to.” Dunkin’ Donuts responded to the incident in a statement. “We and our franchisees want every customer who walks into a Dunkin’ restaurant to be treated with dignity and respect. This did not happen in a situation at a restaurant in Fairfax, Virginia. We have apologized to the customer, on behalf of both the brand and the franchisee who owns and operates this restaurant, but we know that is not enough,” the statement read. The company said franchises are able to set their own rules in regards to Wi-Fi usage.