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An expatriate reader said his wife was treated rudely in front of their young children at a Delifrance outlet in Causeway Bay because of the colour of her skin.
'Just after 1pm on Sunday October 2, my family and I arrived at the busy Delifrance food outlet in Windsor House, Causeway Bay. We arrived at the same time as another family of four. The other family sat at the one remaining empty table, no problem, they saw it first.
'My two sons and I then waited to order our food while my wife waited patiently alone for a table to become free. Shortly, a booth was vacated and my wife went to sit down at the table. A staff member then ran over and physically restrained her. She was told that she couldn't sit there. The member of staff then called to the other family, in Cantonese, and asked them to 'come over here, this table's better'.
'After making sure that the other family were sitting comfortably, the member of staff then directed my wife to the table that the other family had just vacated. My wife, an HKSAR permanent resident, was not in the least bit surprised at this treatment as she has brown skin and is therefore used to receiving 'special treatment'.
'My children, aged six and nine, are more naive and as we left Delifrance without ordering or eating I had to explain the meaning of the word 'racism' to them. They were rather scared, because they have brown skin as well. While my long-suffering wife takes such treatment philosophically, I will not let my children witness such treatment again. It's not about the table, it's about how fellow human beings treat each other.'