MINNEAPOLIS — Holy Land Grocery, Butcher Shop and Deli has been evicted from the Midtown Global Market after racist social media posts from the CEO's daughter resurfaced.
Holy Land CEO, Majdi Wadi, explained in a Facebook post that he had learned on Thursday that a staffer had "posted racial slurs onto social media prior to beginning employment with us."
He went on to identify that employee as his own daughter.
"We were not aware of these posts. As a business that was formed by immigrants, we do not tolerate this type of behavior because it is completely against our beliefs and faith," Wadi's statement said. "Although she was a teenager when she made this mistake, my daughters employment with the company has been terminated effective immediately."
Just a few hours later, Midtown Global Market announced that it would be "exercising its rights as landlord to immediately close the Holy Land Grocery, Butcher Shop & Deli and terminate their lease." In a statement, they added the comments on the social media posts are in "direct opposition to the reason Midtown Global Market was created and opened in 2006: to be a shared community space and cultural center that celebrates the diversity of its business owners, guests and visitors. In no way does Midtown Global Market tolerate any words, actions, or activity that do not support our global community."
The eviction from the Midtown Global Market does not impact Holy Land's flagship location on Central Avenue in northeast Minneapolis.
The Holy Land CEO added that he doesn't believe the social media posts reflects who his daughter is "as a person now, as she has been involved in bettering herself and her community by donating her time and energy to advocate for all people of color."
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