Woman’s racist rant to Madrid store clerk goes viral

The organization Es Racismo (It’s Racism) has denounced a xenophobic incident that took place in a store in the Bravo Murillo neighborhood of Madrid, and soon went viral via social media.

In a video recorded by the store clerk who remains behind his counter throughout, a customer is seen ranting about different nationalities and how each nationality should remain in their country of origin.

As migrants and people of race living in Madrid and the rest of the country, we are telling you that this is representative

Es Racismo

The man tells her that this is an old-fashioned mentality and that nowadays things are not the same.

“Not the same?” she shoots back. Then, assuming the shop assistant himself is not Spanish due to the color of his skin, she tells him: “You’re nobody: not being Spanish, your DNI [Spanish ID card] can be taken away as quickly as its given.”

When the man responds that he is Spanish, the woman tells him to be Spanish he would have to have a Spanish mother or father.

“It’s the law in this country; learn it!” she spits at him, before warning him not to get cocky or he’ll have his ID card taken from him.

Since it appeared on social media, the video has had more than 10,000 views.

In response to the incident, politician Íñigo Errejón, from the left-wing Podemos party, said that the woman does not reflect the general attitudes either in the capital or in Spain as a whole.

“Madrid takes pride in its openness,” he said. “She doesn’t represent my country either: Spain is a modern country with solidarity. [We won’t budge] even a centimeter in the direction of those who want everything black and white.”

But Es Racismo claims the woman is a reflection of attitudes in the country. “As migrants and people of race living in Madrid and the rest of the country, we are telling you that this is representative,” Es Racismo tweeted. “Instead of denying the existence of the racism that attacks and kills us on a daily basis, recognize it as a departure point in order to change it. The racism is institutionalized.”

English version by Heather Galloway.