MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

#RIPTacoBell trends after fast-food giant fires staff wearing BLM mask for bringing 'politics into the building'

People unleashed their wrath on Taco Bell after comedian and rapper Elijah Daniel posted a video of Denzel Skinner arguing with a woman after getting fired from his job for wearing the mask

Taco Bell became the latest victim of the cancel culture after they fired an employee for wearing a 'Black Lives Matter'-themed face mask to work as #RIPTacoBell started trending on Twitter on Thursday.

People unleashed their wrath on Taco Bell after comedian and rapper Elijah Daniel posted a video of an African-American employee arguing with a woman after getting fired from his job on June 9 for wearing a face mask with Black Lives Matter logo on it. "You just fired me because I just got a Black Lives Matter on," the employee, identified as Denzel Skinner, said while sitting in a car, while a woman - whose face is not seen on camera - explains, "you weren't gonna take it off."

"I'm not, I'm not, 'cause I am standing up for what was right, I'm not taking it off!" the employee says looking at the woman. "You can't bring politics into the building," says the woman, and Denzel immediately cuts her off with, "Bro I am not bringing it in. This is what I am standing for. How's this considered politics?" The woman replies, "How's it not, Denzel?"

When Denzel again reiterates his stance of not taking off the mask, the woman simply says, "Ok then there is nothing that I can do for you. I am just doing my job." The employee says, "I am doing mine's too. I am standing up for my people too." The woman says, "You don't get it," to which Denzel replies, "You don't either." She further argues that she does get it. "No, you don't," says Denzel. "'Cause if you did, this won't be a problem." She says that she personally did not have a problem with him wearing the mask and that it was a "company thing." 

She then asks Denzel if he would tolerate "somebody wearing something that says something about white people on it." Denzel says, "Bro, if that's what they stand for then yes."

A number of people have been seen in recent times sporting face masks and other PPE products with BLM logos after massive protests broke out across the US following the death of George Floyd, an African-American man who was killed under police custody on May 25. Many companies and brands have also put out statements saying that they will not be stopping their employees from demonstrating peaceful protests in their workplaces. So the video, which was uploaded on Twitter with the caption, "Taco Bell manager firing an employee for supporting BLM :/ #RIPTacoBell" soon went viral with people calling out the restaurant for firing the BLM protester. 

"Fighting for black lives is not a political issue!!! this is really not complex, I don’t get how people (& million dollar corporations) don’t understand this. fighting for basic human rights is not a political issue!!! #BlackLivesMatter #RIPtacobell" one user wrote while another said, "They really fired a taco bell employee for wearing a black lives matter mask. they called it 'bringing politics into the building' our fight for the right to live without fear is NOT politics. F**K TACO BELL #RIPTacoBell #BlackLivesMatter"

Some users also dug up a tweet that the company had posted on their official page on June 2, after the Floyd protests gripped the nation. "We're muting our channels for the rest of the week to reflect, learn, and listen," the caption of the tweet said, which contained a statement from the company. "Sometimes silence speaks the loudest. And we won't let ours speak for us. So let us be clear: We don't tolerate racism or violence against Black people. We're committed to being part of long-term solutions. And we have more work to do. We are regrouping on the actions we take next. Because these words are not enough. More to come. We are listening," the statement said. 

"Hey @tacobell nice PR move but you’re as fake as they come #RIPTacoBell" one angry user wrote, while another said, "Do me this one good favor companies, don’t say y’all supporting BLM cause if you’re gonna treat workers that support BLM by wrongfully firing them like that. At the end of the day it’s a business, but I also can take my business elsewhere cuz my money DO matter. #riptacobell."