A McDonald's in China banned Black people from entering the restaurant.

According to HuffPost, a video surfaced online showing a sign at the restaurant which enforced the racist rule.


“We’ve been informed that from now on Black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant,” the sign stated. 

A spokesperson for McDonald's spoke to HuffPost, saying the sign "was not representative of our inclusive values.”

“Immediately upon learning of an unauthorized communication to our guests at a restaurant in Guangzhou, we immediately removed the communication and temporarily closed the restaurant,” the spokesperson said.

The restaurant said it's now planning to “further educate managers and employees on our values, which includes serving all members of the communities in which we operate.”

Black Livity China, a group that documents the experiences of Black residents in China, posted the video on Twitter. 

"Again, for those who still doubt that Black people and particularly #AfricansinChina are being targeted, we feel it is our duty to share this," the group stated. "A sign at a @McDonalds restaurant seems to make this perfectly clear."

China has been accused of racism during the coronavirus crisis. In recent weeks, African people in China have faced eviction from hotels and apartments after being suspected of having the coronavirus, as Blavity previously reported.  

One victim expressed his concerns in a video posted to Twitter. The man, walking on the street with dozens of other Africans who were carrying their belongings, said "they cannot give us house. They cannot give us hotel."

"They cannot provide a place we can stay," he said. "After we spent 15 days in the hotel, after quarantine, they cannot allow us to stay in one place." 

Residents also said the government isn't allowing Black people to access public places such as malls and restaurants, The Citizen reported.  

"Whenever we get to the shops, the shop attendants do not allow us in. We cannot buy anything and have resorted to buying online," a Ghanaian woman in China told TV3GH.

According to The Washington Post, foreigners in the cities of Beijing and Shanghai have reported cases of being barred from restaurants. However, the problem appears to be even more common in Guangzhou, The Post reported. 

The U.S. consulate in Guangzhou has warned African Americans about the ongoing cases of discrimination. The consulate wrote an advisory to Americans in China,  telling them "to avoid the Guangzhou metropolitan area until further notice."

"In response to an increase in COVID-19 infections, officials in the Guangzhou metropolitan area escalated scrutiny of foreign nationals," the consulate stated. "As part of this campaign, police ordered bars and restaurants not to serve clients who appear to be of African origin."

According to the advisory,  "local officials launched a round of mandatory tests for COVID-19, followed by mandatory self-quarantine, for anyone with 'African contacts,' regardless of recent travel history or previous quarantine completion."

U.S. officials said, "all U.S. citizens in China are subject to local law."

"If you violate Chinese laws, even unknowingly, you may be arrested, expelled, or imprisoned," the advisory stated. "The Chinese legal system can be opaque, and the interpretation and enforcement of local laws may be arbitrary." 

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