LEXINGTON, Va. — White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she and seven members of her family were kicked out of The Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Virginia on Friday night.
TMZ first reported that the restaurant's owner kicked out Sanders and her family out of "moral conviction."
A waiter posted on Facebook that Sanders was in the restaurant for “a total of two minutes” before being asked to leave.
.@PressSec got kicked out of the Red Hen restaurant in Lexington, Va tonight. Apparently the owner didnt want to serve her and her party out of moral conviction. pic.twitter.com/jr3bfiY3XY
— Brennan Gilmore (@brennanmgilmore) June 23, 2018
Sanders confirmed the incident on Twitter.
"Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left," Sanders tweeted Saturday. "Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so."
Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 23, 2018
Sanders’ father, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, tweeted his support, saying it was an act of “bigotry.”
Bigotry. On the menu at Red Hen Restaurant in Lexington VA. Or you can ask for the Hate Plate. And appetizers are small plates for small minds https://t.co/rHEVdcQwwh
— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) June 23, 2018
The Red Hen's Facebook and Yelp pages were bombarded with reviews from people from both sides.
While some praised the restaurant, many others said the owner was being “intolerant.”
This comes after Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen bolted from a Washington, D.C. Mexican restaurant after protesters confronted her at her table -- with the blessing of the manager.
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