WATCH: Police Kick Good Samaritan Out Of McDonald’s For Buying Homeless Man Meal
A Myrtle Beach, South Carolina McDonald's found itself experiencing the nation's disapproval after a viral video that garnered over 40,000 views in less than 24 hours showed the establishment kicking out a Good Samaritan and the homeless man he was trying to buy food for Wednesday.
The video posted on Facebook and filmed by Yossi Gallo showed a Myrtle Beach police officer telling the homeless man eating his meal that he should leave and never return.
Gallo is heard saying, “You guys suck... He didn't ask me for food, I saw him across the street and brought him over here for food."
The unidentified police officer then claims the homeless man was asking other customers for money; a claim that Gallo refuted.
Gallo and the homeless man are then asked to leave the establishment.
"I’m getting kicked out of here because I gave a homeless guy food,” Gallo exclaims.
He asks for a refund, and is handed a paper bag for his food.
The police officer then presses Gallo to leave the premises, as Gallo demands a refund. The police officer tells Gallo she cannot make the establishment give him a refund.
In a statement, Myrtle Beach Police said:
“Officers were dispatched to the location after receiving a call, from an employee of the business, that a male was in the parking lot asking people for money. Upon arriving at the restaurant, an employee approached the officer and indicated the male was inside the establishment. The employee requested the officer issue a trespassing warning and asked that the person leave the premises. The officer advised the male of the request made by the business and issued the warning. A bystander, who was videotaping the incident was also trespassed from the location, at the request of the manager, for what management deemed as disorderly behavior.”
Brenda Bethune, the city’s mayor, stood by the police department, telling the Myrtle Beach Sun Times:
“I think it’s very sad that it’s come to this. It does hurt Myrtle Beach, it hurts the image of our police department, which I feel they do an incredible job and I know they work as hard as they can in situation like this to be human and to treat people just with a lot of respect and dignity."