Customer accused of assaulting restaurant employee over shawarma portion in Montreal

MONTREAL — A minor dispute over the amount of meat in a shawarma meal turned into a physical assault inside a restaurant in Montreal, after an employee accused a customer of attacking him and directing racist insults at him and his wife.

The incident took place on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 7, at a branch of a Lebanese restaurant on Remembrance Street in the Lachine area.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of restaurant workers, especially since surveillance cameras recorded part of the physical confrontation, which moved into the staff area behind the counter.

Dispute over amount of meat sparks confrontation

According to the employee's account, events began at around 5 p.m., when a woman came to the restaurant and ordered a mixed plate containing only chicken, beef and potatoes.

About half an hour later, a man who said he was the customer's husband came in and began loudly objecting to the amount of meat in the meal.

The employee said the man accused the staff of cheating, arguing that the amount of meat served did not match the price paid.

The employee tried to explain that replacing the rice and salad with extra meat was not possible at the same price, because the ingredients cost different amounts.

But the discussion escalated quickly, and the complaint about the food turned into a direct confrontation inside the restaurant.

Allegations of racist insults against employee's wife

The employee said the customer began making offensive, racist remarks after seeing his wife, who was working with him and wears a hijab.

According to his testimony, the insults referred to the couple's immigrant background and Muslim faith, and told them to go back to their country if they did not offer more generous service to customers.

The employee said these remarks frightened his wife, especially as the confrontation was escalating unexpectedly.

He added that his wife is now afraid to return to work, fearing another attack because of her religious appearance.

Police have not yet independently confirmed all the details of the alleged insults, which remain part of the employee's statement in the investigation.

Customer jumps behind counter and attacks employee

The employee said he tried to end the dispute by taking back the plate and refunding the customer's money.

But according to his account, he was then struck in the face, after which the man jumped into the area reserved for staff behind the cash register.

He added that the attacker kept hitting him after he fell to the ground, leaving him with pain in his back and hands.

Video footage from inside the restaurant showed a physical confrontation between the two men behind the counter, as the employee tried to deal with the situation.

The employee had to close the restaurant for the rest of the evening after the incident, because it was difficult to keep working after the alleged assault.

Montreal police open investigation into assault

Montreal police said officers arrived within minutes of the incident and met a man who reported having been physically assaulted.

Police spokesperson Florence Stafford said the investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident.

Police had not announced the arrest of any suspect, according to information available in reports published on Monday, Nov. 9.

Video recordings and statements from people who were in the restaurant are expected to help clarify the exact sequence of events.

Authorities have not yet announced any formal criminal charges in connection with the incident.