ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – An Upper Peninsula restaurant is speaking out after a “hateful” message was written on its wall.
Staff at La Cantina discovered the handwritten statement at approximately 7:00 p.m. on Sunday. The statement reads, “I.C.E. takes the w** b****, leaves the tacos! B****** are for f****** only, they are not people MAGA.” Restaurant manager Taylor Rodman believes it was written shortly before it was found.
“At no point during our service did anyone visibly appear upset or openly disrespectful,” she told WZMQ 19 News. “There was no indication that something like this had taken place at all or that someone was unhappy in any way.”
La Cantina management shared a photo of the vandalism on Facebook, writing, “Our family and staff work hard every single day to serve this community with pride, respect, and gratitude. We are proud Mexican people who came to this country legally, built our business through hard work, and provide good-paying jobs to members of our community. This restaurant is more than just a business to us — it supports families, employees, and the people we care about deeply.”
Rodman says La Cantina typically stays out of politics and tries to offer grace when something wrong has been done. However, she says this incident warrants a stronger response.
“Our restaurant is built on family, community, and providing opportunities for others,” said Rodman. “There is no place for racism, hatred, ignorance, or vandalism in our establishment or our community. At the end of the day, we are all human beings, and we all deserve the same basic kindness and respect as everybody else.”
She says anyone who agrees with the message written on the wall should “feel free to not step foot” inside the restaurant.
“La Cantina is part of a chain of proud, hardworking Mexican businessowners who came here legally,” Rodman said. “98% of our employees are indeed American, and a lot of them are native to Delta County. A couple of us are from Schoolcraft County. The only Mexican employees that we have are our cook and the owner herself. No matter our background or beliefs, we should all be able to come together and agree that racism, hatred, and vandalism are just wrong.”
The La Cantina team is now reviewing security camera footage from the time of the incident. If the individual responsible is identified, Rodman says management will pursue “the appropriate legal action.”
