Rita Bellew has been charged with ethnic intimidation and harassment for the viral video that surfaced of her racist rant inside a pizza shop in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, according to police.
The incident occurred inside Amy’s Family Pizzeria along the 300 block of South York Road on Thursday, Feb. 23. The owner of the restaurant, who did not want to be identified, told NBC10 the woman began going on a rant inside the shop after she heard Spanish programming on a television inside the business.
Léelo en español aquí.
A video that was posted on TikTok as well as Reddit captured part of the woman’s tirade.
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“I’ve been in Hatboro for 55 f—--- years,” the woman says. “And my grandmother and my grandmother before that. So you can actually say 200 years. You want to have Spanish on your TV?”
“What’s wrong with that?” an employee asks.
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“What’s wrong with that is you’re not American, dude,” the woman says. “I will look you the f— up and get you the f—- out of our town. Okay? F— you. Give me my money back. I’m not giving my money to some illegal immigrant.”
The woman continues to rant while employees inside the shop record her.
“You’re in America,” she says. “You’re supposed to learn English. You’ve got Spanish on your TV. That’s a ‘f— you’ to Americans dude. My f—--- father was a World War II veteran okay? His friends and family died so you can sit here right now and make money and you’re going to do this kind of s—?”
The woman repeatedly demands a refund. She also takes out her own phone and begins recording after realizing the restaurant workers were recording her.
“I’m at Amy’s and I’m being bullied,” the woman says while recording. “I’m being bullied by these people at Amy’s.”
“How are you being bullied?” an employee asks.
“And because I am white they are videotaping me,” the woman says. “They are videotaping me because I am white. See them? They’re calling me a racist because I am white.”
“No no no,” an employee replies. “We’re calling you a racist because you’re a racist.”
“I am simply asking for a refund because their food is terrible,” the woman says as she continues to record.
“You said you want a refund because they played Spanish on the TV,” an employee replies.
“I want a refund on my credit card and they are videotaping me because I am white,” the woman says. “And none of them are white.”
“Hello?! I’m white too,” an employee says.
Hatboro Police said they responded to the pizza shop and de-escalated the situation though the video ends before the officers arrive.
“It has also come to the attention of the police department that the video of the incident is circulating on social media and some people have falsely identified the woman depicted in the video,” a Hatboro police spokesperson wrote. “We strongly suggest people cease and desist the attachment of false or mistaken names and identities to this video as the identity of the individual(s) involved are known to police.”
The owner told NBC10 he was saddened by the incident and that it was the first time something like that had happened in the ten years he’s owned the restaurant.
“You don’t expect things like that,” he said. “I know some people get mad because I know they wait for their food too long. There was something wrong with the order. But things like that, it’s unreal.”
As the investigation continues, a large crowd of customers visited the restaurant Friday night to show their support.
“Even though it was bad, it’s definitely a blessing for them because look, there’s going to be even more tomorrow and Sunday,” Christian Gonzalez, a customer, told NBC10. “Can you imagine?”
