GOP group said Davanni’s employee approached them about political beliefs

EDINA, Minn. (FOX 9) - A person, who was a part of the group of about 20 people, said they were coming from a Senate District 50 Republicans convention nearby and went to Davanni’s in Edina to eat Saturday afternoon. That’s when he said an employee approached them about their motive for being at the restaurant.

Davanni’s management said it was a misunderstanding
What the group is saying:
AK Kamara, who was a part of the group, said they had finished eating, for the most part, service was fine, and they had paid the bill, including tip. He said that is when the group felt confronted by an employee, who was not serving the table during the meal.

Kamara said the worker questioned why they were wearing a political button. He said the button had "SD 50 Republicans" written on it. He said the employee also asked whether the group was holding a political meeting and mentioned if they were, it was against restaurant policy.

When the group responded and said they were just there to eat, Kamara said the employee challenged their response.

"She pushed back, is she specifically trying to target us. So, the way it made me feel was we were being discriminated against on the basis of who we support politically," said AK Kamara, Minnesota Republican National Committeeman. "Clearly, I’m wearing this American flag hat. We had other members in our group that were wearing Make America Great Again hats. I mean, we’re a bunch of Republicans, so I’m assuming maybe that had something to do."

What the restaurant is saying:
FOX 9 also spoke with Davanni’s management over the phone. They said they are working with those involved to understand the details about what happened. The restaurant released a statement addressing the matter, "Over the weekend, our team in Edina misunderstood a policy around fundraising efforts in our party rooms, which resulted in an incident that impacted valued guests. We’re deeply sorry for the actions taken."

Communicating in good faith:
Kamara said the restaurant has reached out to the group in good faith and coordinated a meeting in the coming days. He said he does not want a boycott and does not want the employee to be disciplined, but is sharing their story in hopes this could be a teachable moment.