A gay man, Christian Dingus, is accusing a group of Washington, D.C., Shake Shack employees of attacking him after he kissed his boyfriend inside the restaurant. The incident occurred at a DuPont Circle location on a Saturday night. Dingus and his partner were waiting for food when they kissed and were told by an employee to stop. A verbal argument occurred, leading to Dingus being physically attacked by the employees.
Video footage of the alleged assault shows Dingus being punched and dragged by employees. The police are investigating the incident as a hate crime with an anti-gay bias motivation. The Shake Shack employees involved have been suspended pending further review as the company cooperates with the investigation.
Dingus suffered a concussion and trauma to his jaw as a result of the attack and expressed feeling shaken and unsafe. DuPont Circle is known as a queer-friendly neighborhood, further highlighting the shock of the incident. Dingus hopes the perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.
The incident has clouded Dingus’ belief in progress and safety within the LGBTQ+ community, as he had previously felt a sense of security in the D.C. area. The case is being taken seriously by authorities and the company, with a commitment to taking appropriate actions based on the investigation’s findings.
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