“My behavior in the video is appalling"
The tech CEO who was caught on camera making racist remarks at an Asian family has apologized for his behavior.
Yesterday we reported that the man was videoed calling the family an “Asian piece of shit” at a restaurant in California.
After the video went viral, the man was quickly identified as Michael Lofthouse – the CEO of San Francisco cloud computing firm Solid8.
The video went viral in part due to American singer Kelly Clarkson tweeting out the story.
“THANK YOU SO MUCH to this woman for speaking up and throwing this trash out!” Clarkson tweeted. “Keep calling hate out! It’s unacceptable, ignorant, and disgusting!”
Lofthouse, who deleted all social media accounts, made an apology a local TV station.
“My behavior in the video is appalling,” he told San Francisco’s KGO-TV in a statement. “This was clearly a moment where I lost control and made incredibly hurtful and divisive comments.”
However, the victims of the video were not impressed by his apology.
“He’s just saving face. I think he really meant what he said and what he did,” said Raymond Orosa, who was at the restaurant celebrating a relative’s birthday.
“I don’t believe his words because his actions speak louder than the words he’s saying,” he continued.
“He was full of hate and anger,” he added. “It’s sad that there are still people that are like that in this world, let alone in this country.”
Orosa’s niece, Jordan Chan who uploaded the footage added that Lofthouse also said, “Fuck you Asians”, “Go back to whatever fucking Asian country you’re from” and “You don’t belong here.”
In the clip, a member of staff is heard ejecting the man from the restaurant. “You do not talk to our guests like that,” she says. “You need to leave. Get out. You do not talk to our guests like that. They are valued guests. You are not allowed here ever again.”
The restaurant where the incident occurred has now been identified as Bernardus Lodge & Spa.
“It’s been unbelievable, the outpouring of support,” Koleen Hamblin, a spokeswoman for the restaurant said.
“I can only imagine the stress and pain they feel,” he said of the family. “I was taught to respect people of all races, and I will take the time to reflect on my actions and work to better understand the inequality that so many of those around me face every day.”
In related news, over 800 hate incidents were reported by Asian Americans in California during the Coronavirus pandemic.
THANK YOU SO MUCH to this woman for speaking up and throwing this trash out! Y’all keep standing up for people and for what is right! We all bleed red! Keep calling hate out! It’s unacceptable, ignorant, and disgusting! Change won’t happen if we’re sittin’ down so keep standing! https://t.co/ZplFma22cU
— Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) July 6, 2020