McDonald’s refused to serve black people in China and blamed coronavirus

African migrants have reportedly been evicted en-masse from their homes and harassed by police over virus fears.

McDonald’s has apologised after a branch in China refused to serve black customers , suggesting the policy was due to coronavirus.

The restaurant is one of many businesses in the city of Guangzhou to have recently barred black people, who have also reportedly faced systematic police harassment.

The city’s large population of African migrants have long complained of discrimination, but many say they are now also perceived as disproportionately likely to carry the virus without showing symptoms.

Large numbers of African nationals have reportedly been subjected to forced testing and arbitrary 14-day isolation, with some left wandering homeless after being evicted by landlords and rejected by hotels.

The backlash has widely been traced to two isolated reports of a Nigerian coronavirus patient who attacked a nurse who tried to stop him leaving a hospital and a group of five Nigerians who tested positive earlier in April. Both were shared widely on Chinese social media.

State-owned media said the city quickly upgraded the risk level of Yuexiu and Baiyun, the two districts known for high numbers of African-born residents, from low to medium.

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Authorities have since started screening everyone coming in and out of Yuexiu, which is known as ‘Little Africa’.

China is now trying to head off a diplomatic crisis after African politicians reacted angrily to the news.

On Saturday a video was posted on Twitter of the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian being grilled by a Nigerian politician, who makes Mr Zhou watch videos of some of the incidents.

The chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, summoned the Chinese ambassador to the AU to call for ‘immediate’ action to restore relations after other countries including Uganda and Ghana followed suit.

The US began warning African-Americans to avoid Guangzhou on the weekend.

US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, today tweeted: ‘Videos and stories from #Guangzhou are appalling.

‘Abuse and xenophobia has no place in our fight against this global pandemic. Chinese authorities must do more to stop these attacks against Africans living and working in China.’

China’s government rejected the protests today saying that it does not tolerate discrimination ‘against African brothers’.

A spokesperson for the foreign ministry accused the US of trying to ‘sow discord’, calling it ‘irresponsible and immoral’.

‘All foreigners are treated equally. We have zero tolerance for discrimination. The Chinese people always see in the African people partners and brothers through thick and thin. African friends can count on getting [a] fair, just, cordial and friendly reception in China.’

McDonald’s China said it had closed the restaurant in Guangzhou for half a day of diversity and inclusion training after an internal investigation confirmed reports that black customers had been barred.

A spokesperson said on Monday: ‘We apologize unreservedly to the individual and our customers. The restaurant has been ordered to stop immediately such actions.’