Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders asked to leave from Little Rock restaurant

A Little Rock restaurant has responded after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office said it was told to leave the business.

According to a statement from the governor’s office, Sanders said he joined a group with two people for lunch at The Croissanterie on Friday, March 13, and was accompanied by the State Police Executive Protection Team.

In a written statement, Croissanterie said they were “surprised and unsure how best to respond” when they learned of the governor’s presence at the restaurant. They said he and his staff were already sitting and eating and preferred not to disturb.

Sanders said that after sitting at the restaurant for more than an hour and fifteen minutes and the meal being paid for, The Croissanterie’s owner approached a member of the protective team and allegedly asked him to leave because his presence was “threatening and disrupting employees due to his political views.”

Croissanterie rejects any statements that “suggest that anyone feels threatened.”

Croissanterie staff say that as the governor’s presence and his security team become more noticeable to guests and staff alike, questions have arisen about their ability to remain on the premises. “As business owners and members of this community, we recognize that any action has consequences.”

In the restaurant’s statement, they said allowing him to stay “risks being perceived as a lack of support for the community that makes up its staff,” but at the same time asking Sanders and his team to leave “could be viewed as refusing service based on differing beliefs.”

About an hour into the visit, a staff member approached a member of the security team and asked him to “encourage” the governor to leave because he had “finished dinner,” according to the statement.

Since there was a 90-minute table limit in the restaurant, the security team was approached a second time and asked to leave the restaurant approximately 10 minutes before this time.

As the governor’s staff was leaving, he said, a man allegedly shouted “time to go” and then made a rude hand gesture toward the governor. Croissanterie would say that the man was a customer, not an employee.

“Arkansans are known for their warm hospitality, and while this restaurant certainly does not meet that standard, my administration will continue to focus on lifting up Arkansans rather than tearing others down with discrimination and hatred,” Sanders concluded his statement.

“We regret that we have been put in this situation and have to make a difficult decision,” The Croissanterie said in a statement. he said. “However, we stand behind our choice to support our employees and guests.”

Both the Sanders administration and the Croissanterie issued statements commenting on the incident. You can find them below:

In response to the incident, Governor Sanders released the following statement:

“Last week, I was having lunch at a restaurant with two other mothers when the owner of the restaurant approached a member of the State Police Executive Protection Unit and told me that my presence was making his employees feel threatened and told us to leave. Arkansans are known for their warm hospitality, and while this restaurant certainly does not meet that standard, my administration will continue to focus on lifting up Arkansans rather than tearing others down with discrimination and hatred.”

Croissanterie also released the following statement in response to the incident:

“When we learned that the Governor’s arrival at the restaurant had been announced, we were surprised and unsure how best to respond. When we entered the dining room, he was already seated and eating. At this point, we chose not to interrupt him, as we expected the party to complete their meal and leave without incident.”

But as the security team’s presence became more widely noticed by employees and guests alike, questions began to arise about their stay in the restaurant. As business owners and members of this community, we knew that any action would have consequences. Allowing him to stay risked being perceived as a lack of support for the community that makes up the majority of our team, as well as their families and friends. Conversely, asking him to leave could be seen as refusing service based on different beliefs.

Finally, we decided to support our employees and guests who expressed their discomfort. To clarify, we do not recall any statements indicating that anyone felt threatened.

About an hour into the visit, a security guard was quietly approached and asked to encourage the governor to complete his visit because he had finished eating. Drinks were offered to the party on the way. After about 30 minutes, the party remained in the building.

As the 90-minute table seating limit approached, the security detail was approached a second time and informed that there were approximately 10 minutes remaining. Around this time, another customer tried to get involved and was asked to leave.

After reviewing the footage, we confirmed that a security guard sent a message to the governor after the initial request; but it was not seen at that time. After the message was received, he and his team left without incident.

It is also worth noting that many guests in the main dining room were unaware of the situation and there was no applause or discomfort as claimed. It was also stated that the person making the inappropriate hand gesture was a customer, not an employee, and the issue was being addressed.

We are sorry that we were put in this situation and had to make a difficult decision. However, we stand behind our choice to support our employees and guests.”