McDonald's has now made an official apology after photos showed signage in Guangzhou banning black people from entering its establishment.
The sign wasn't even subtle.
Again, for those who still doubt that Black people and particularly #AfricansinChina are being targeted we feel itâ�¦ https://t.co/mPmZc2BIzs— Black Livity China (@Black Livity China)1586622584.0
"We've been informed that from now on black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant. For the sake of your health consciously notify the local police for medical isolation, please understand the inconvenience caused," the sign reads.
Guangzhou, the southern part of Guangdong province is home to an extremely large African expat and tourist population, serves as a hub for traders and businessfolk.
According to many of those people, tensions in the province have been escalating with African residents telling BBC that many residents have been evicted from their homes and turned away from hotels and other restaurant establishments.
@BlackLivityCN @beijingdaze @McDonalds Seems like a good time to retweet this disturbing video broadcast years agoâ�¦ https://t.co/rq9xTMW1G1— Boaz Arad å��é�� (@Boaz Arad å��é��)1586645415.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds if you're black, pls get out of china tbh. and africans better start giving the chinese aâ�¦ https://t.co/n33DAVgAFk— karisma !!! (@karisma !!!)1586635095.0
@BlackLivityCN @Botshelo_SA @McDonalds Now theyâ��re tryna pin the virus on us. What a joke.— MATHANDA HELELE (@MATHANDA HELELE)1586646244.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds The world is rightly concerned with racism against Chinese, because of #COVID19 but in Châ�¦ https://t.co/Mks4mq8GGD— tshakya (@tshakya)1586635671.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds You better look into this McDonaldâ��s because this a lawsuit waiting to happen @McDonaldsCorp @McDonalds— Stef the Career Coach (@Stef the Career Coach)1586629256.0
A McDonald's Corporation spokesperson said the blunt signage was "not representative of our inclusive values."
"Immediately upon learning of an unauthorized communication to our guests at a restaurant in Guangzhou, we immediately removed the communication and temporarily closed the restaurant."
@BlackLivityCN @Dunzzbridge @McDonalds To think I felt sorry for Chinese people when they were being racially abused kmtð�¤¦ð��¾â��â��ï¸�— Denver (@Denver)1586680083.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds China and itâ��s citizens, definitely look down on black/brown skinned people. I know thisâ�¦ https://t.co/YRayN1FiUy— Melvin (@Melvin)1586694577.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds Again where is the outrage from my noise making #Africans & blacks. On matters that constâ�¦ https://t.co/95y6UMM1zt— #PeoplePower (@#PeoplePower)1586629249.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds Time to boycott the ffffffffffff outta @McDonalds— FreddyMac ð��ð��¹ (@FreddyMac ð��ð��¹)1586634062.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds Just to be clear - McDonald's China sold to a Chinese SOE years ago. This is horrible &â�¦ https://t.co/5ekNnNFe1P— Taylor Host ð�§¢ (@Taylor Host ð�§¢)1586652275.0
The temporary closure would be to "further educate managers and employees on our values, which includes serving all members of the communities in which we operate."
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds @McDonalds and @McDonaldsCorp @McDonaldsUK @McDonaldsEurope @McDonald How can your company allow this to happen?— Nancy B (@Nancy B)1586631016.0
@BlackLivityCN @YuanfenYang @McDonalds I'm LOLing (I've lived in China for a few years, and nothing surprises me abâ�¦ https://t.co/sO2e1HyncS— Jessie B. (@Jessie B.)1586683163.0
@BlackLivityCN @AdamMilstein @McDonalds Chinese bigotry is NOT surprising to us ð���ð���ð���Africans, ADOS, Black People onâ�¦ https://t.co/CGVgAhnpzB— Nikki A. (@Nikki A.)1586881729.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds I feel sorry for what Black people are going through in China. I'm Chinese, but I absolutâ�¦ https://t.co/J0Fshk4kbH— Dasheng Wang (@Dasheng Wang)1586729853.0
@BlackLivityCN @McDonalds ERM @McDonalds WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHO ALLOWED THIS!?!— Sleep diary (@Sleep diary)1586636247.0
The South China Morning Post has reported that the Chinese government is looking to ease restrictions on African nationals to try and quell a diplomatic crisis in Guangdong.
Though McDonald's itself has reacted to make this kind of discrimination unacceptable, no such measures yet apply to local and family-run business in Guangzhou.