This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/24/no-africans-restaurant-owner-arrested-nairobi-kenya

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
'No Africans' restaurant owner arrested in Nairobi 'No Africans' Chinese restaurant owner arrested in Nairobi
(34 minutes later)
The owner of a Chinese restaurant in Nairobi that operated a ‘No Africans’ policy has been arrested after media reports about the establishment triggered an outcry on social media. The owner of a Chinese restaurant in Nairobi that operated a “no Africans” policy has been arrested after media reports about the establishment triggered an outcry on social media.
Zhao Yang was charged with operating a restaurant without a valid licence only hours after the Daily Nation, Kenya’s biggest newspaper, published a front-page story about the restaurant.Zhao Yang was charged with operating a restaurant without a valid licence only hours after the Daily Nation, Kenya’s biggest newspaper, published a front-page story about the restaurant.
Co-owner Esther Zhao told the newspaper that Africans posed a security risk and needed to be kept out after 5pm. “We don’t admit Africans that we don’t know because you never know who is Al-Shabaab and who isn’t,” she said, referring to the Somali-based terror group blamed for a number of attacks in Kenya in recent years. Co-owner Esther Zhao told the newspaper that Africans posed a security risk and needed to be kept out after 5pm. “We don’t admit Africans that we don’t know because you never know who is al-Shabaab and who isn’t,” she said, referring to the Somali-based terror group blamed for a number of attacks in Kenya in recent years.
We don’t admit Africans that we don’t know because you never know who is Al-Shabaab and who isn’tWe don’t admit Africans that we don’t know because you never know who is Al-Shabaab and who isn’t
“It is not like it is written on somebody’s face that they are a thug armed with a gun.”“It is not like it is written on somebody’s face that they are a thug armed with a gun.”
Staff were quoted saying the restaurant’s security detail were under strict instruction not to let in any Africans in the evening, although one or two “loyal customers” were allowed.Staff were quoted saying the restaurant’s security detail were under strict instruction not to let in any Africans in the evening, although one or two “loyal customers” were allowed.
The story triggered outrage across the internet. Under the hashtag #noblacksallowed, Twitter users called for the restaurant to be shut down.The story triggered outrage across the internet. Under the hashtag #noblacksallowed, Twitter users called for the restaurant to be shut down.
@angelaangwenyi @herbotawa @nationfmke #NoBlacksAllowed are heading 2 the S Africa's times of the apartheid?@angelaangwenyi @herbotawa @nationfmke #NoBlacksAllowed are heading 2 the S Africa's times of the apartheid?
“I don’t understand how this article isn’t ironic. This can’t be real,” one reader, Aisha, said. Most commentators demanded the deportation of the restaurant owners.“I don’t understand how this article isn’t ironic. This can’t be real,” one reader, Aisha, said. Most commentators demanded the deportation of the restaurant owners.
“There is a proverb, loosely translated, which says ‘if you hate the cow, you should also shun leather’,” one said. “Let the Chinese go do this in China. This is Kenya, and if there is something they do not like, they are free to leave.”“There is a proverb, loosely translated, which says ‘if you hate the cow, you should also shun leather’,” one said. “Let the Chinese go do this in China. This is Kenya, and if there is something they do not like, they are free to leave.”
Like most countries on the continent, there has been an extraordinary rise in Chinese economic engagement in Kenya over the past decade. Trade volumes have grown from $186.37m (£125m) in 2002 to $3.27bn (£2.2bn) in 2013 and the growing number of Chinese expatriates has been accompanied by the mushrooming of numerous Chinese-operated restaurants and hotels. Like most countries on the continent, there has been an extraordinary rise in Chinese economic engagement in Kenya over the past decade. Trade volumes have grown from $186.37m (£125m) in 2002 to $3.27bn in 2013, and the growing number of Chinese migrants has been accompanied by the mushrooming of numerous Chinese-operated restaurants and hotels.
Although many Kenyans have welcomed Beijing’s investment in major infrastructure projects including a new $5.2bn railway to replace the track built by the British more than a century ago, some Chinese have been blamed for a rise in poaching in the country’s national parks.Although many Kenyans have welcomed Beijing’s investment in major infrastructure projects including a new $5.2bn railway to replace the track built by the British more than a century ago, some Chinese have been blamed for a rise in poaching in the country’s national parks.
Zhao faces a prison term of 18 months or a fine of just over $1,000 if found guilty of operating the restaurant without a licence. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights called on any Kenyans who had been barred from the restaurant to get in touch because it planned to lodge a civil suit. Zhao faces a prison term of 18 months or a fine of more than $1,000 if found guilty of operating the restaurant without a licence.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights called on any Kenyans who had been barred from the restaurant to get in touch because it planned to lodge a civil suit.