Woman arrested on hate charge as DC Chipotle workers describe threats

A D.C. woman is facing charges after workers at a Chipotle restaurant in Columbia Heights say she made violent threats.

Chanae Ridian Watson, 32, entered the restaurant on 14th Street NW with her mother Monday evening, angry because her mom had slipped on uneven pavement outside the restaurant, according to police.

Employees who did not want to be identified for safety concerns said Watson demanded the restaurant make repairs.

“We told the guy that we were going to take into consideration what happened, but the problem was not with us, it was with the building. We were going to let the manager of the building know about the situation,” one employee said.

The employees said Watson and her mother eventually left, but Watson returned. They said she became irate when the workers spoke Spanish with each other.

Watson threatened to shoot up the business and to come back and wait for them outside, according to a police report. 

“Threatening to kill, threatening to hurt us,” an employee said. “Also, offending the other workers. Started just calling out really horrible names.” 

Security asked the suspect to leave multiple times, according to the police report. She refused and escalated the situation. 

The police report quotes Watson as saying: "They don't speak English; they don't understand. You aren't even born here, you are not a citizen, and she is going to vote for Trump." Watson also said, "This is America. Learn English," according to police.

The workers said they felt intimidated.

“I feel very unsafe, and every day, I and our team feel not safe coming to work,” one said.

Police stopped Watson outside the restaurant. She was visibly loud, angry and hysterical and refused to cooperate, the police report says. 

Watson was arrested and charged with making threats to kidnap or injure, unlawful entry, and hate crime based on racial group animus. Police said the crime is being investigated as potentially being motivated by hate or bias. Watson pleaded not guilty.

“We come here to work and support the country,” an employee said. “We do a lot of things that other people don't want to do it, and they see how we work, but I feel unappreciated.” 

“It's not really ever good just to look at somebody and discriminate against them just by the way they look without getting to know them or knowing them in general,” another employee said. “I felt very disappointed in a way.”

The employees said they're continuing to work but they're anxious and worried it could happen again.

Watson could not be reached for comment.

“We are aware of the incident that occurred at our 3113 14th Street NW Washington, D.C., restaurant and thankful that no team members were harmed by this senseless act,” Chipotle said in a statement to News4. “We are working cooperatively with the authorities handling this investigation and hope justice will be served for the individuals who did not treat our employees with the respect that they deserve.”

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