ERIE, Mich. — The owner of a Michigan farm says he is receiving death threats after a video posted by a Muslim customer shows him racially insulting the customer and his family and accusing them of stealing.
Steve Elzinga, the owner of Erie Orchards and Cider Mill in Erie, Mich., said a false rumor was circulating that customers could pick fruit at his farm for free.
Joe Mahmoud, the customer who posted the video, said he and his family went to the farm Sunday and were told by a store employee that they were allowed to explore the grounds and take items from the orchard for free.
As Mahmoud and his family were leaving the orchard in their car, Elzinga confronted them and accused them of stealing.
In video uploaded to Facebook by Mahmoud, Elzinga can be heard calling himself a racist and claiming that every Muslim person who visits the farm is a thief. He then searched their bags and claimed he had called local law enforcement.
Mahmoud, a father of three, added a description of the incident to his Facebook post. It reads, in part: "Our peaceful family outing took a turn as we were leaving. A man, later identified as the owner, confronted us accusingly. He opened my vehicle door, began to rifle through our bags on the floor, and without any provocation, he stated, 'You people are always stealing.'"
In an interview with WTOL 11 Wednesday, Elzinga claimed the incident does not represent who he is.
"We had three different people doing that and I became really frustrated and I said a few things and I'm really sorry. It's not me, it's not who I am and I don't want to be that way," Elzinga said.
After Mahmoud's post has gone viral, Elzinga said his fruit is never free.
Elzinga said he wants everyone to feel welcome and apologized for what he said.
"It was a very regrettable moment for me, and it was built-up frustration that occurred with folks that have come here and picked and not paid," he said.
WTOL reached out to Mahmoud on social media to request an interview, but we have not yet heard back.
The Michigan Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations released a statement about the incident. It reads, in part:
"We caution the Muslim community and others of good conscience from patronizing Erie Orchards and Cider Mill due to the alleged bigoted behavior and speech of its owner," said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid. "There are many other orchards in Michigan where families can pick fruit in a wholesome atmosphere without being subjected to alleged religious profiling and denigration from its owners."
The full statement from CAIR-MI can be read here.