In a disturbing incident at a Miami Starbucks, a lesbian couple was subjected to a vicious tirade by a woman who accused them of assaulting children simply because they were part of the LGBTQ+ community. The incident was captured on a viral video, which shows the woman yelling at Cassie Urry and Lorrin Skrbec, telling them that “lesbianism” is not okay because they “touch children” and “rape children”. The couple reacted in horror, denying the allegations and telling the woman that God does not want her to speak that way to people.
The woman proceeded to ask if they knew who she worked for, but never revealed who she was or who she worked for. She also harassed others before speaking to the couple, saying that all people of color were a “product of the devil” and making racist remarks to an Asian customer. When Skrbec told her to stop, the woman turned her vitriol toward them. The couple was not holding hands or expressing any affection when the woman began yelling at them.
In a follow-up video, Urry explained that the incident was all based on assumption and that the woman had been harassing others before speaking to them. She praised the Starbucks employees for their handling of the situation, and said that she and Skrbec were both in shock by the incident. The couple was on their way to a cruise vacation and had to leave before the situation was resolved, but the Miami Police did respond to the situation and safely escorted the woman from the premises.
This incident highlights the ongoing discrimination and harassment faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community, even in supposedly safe and accepting spaces. The couple was simply trying to enjoy their coffee when they were subjected to this hateful and baseless accusation. While the woman has been banned from all Starbucks stores, more needs to be done to address the root causes of discrimination and hate speech, and to ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome in all public spaces.