Big Feast Bistro owner-operator Mike Mulcahy was abused by protesters as he catered lunch for Premier Christy Clark’s visit to Maple Ridge Wednesday.
That night, the window of his business was smashed.
“They were upset we were delivering food to Christy Clark,” said Mulcahy, who catered a lunch at the ACT after it was officially announced that Maple Ridge has officially become a city.
Teachers and parents were holding a rally in Memorial Peace Park at the same time and stormed the theatre entrance, chanting at the premier to go to arbitration to end the labour dispute.
Mulcahy said the crowd was “passionate,” and put he and his son in an awkward position.
The restaurateur posted a photo of the smashed window on the Big Feast Bistro Facebook page on Thursday morning, with a message:
“We had a tough delivery yesterday to a lunch where Christy Clark was speaking at the ACT, but had no idea she was there until we delivered.
“There were no kind words for us, even with my 12-year-old son helping with the delivery, several harsh things were said to us.
“Sadly our window was kicked in tonight, and I hope the two incidents are not related. We want the strike over as much as everyone, and hope there are no hard feelings towards us for doing what we do best – feeding Maple Ridge.”
Maple Ridge Teachers’ Association president George Serra said union staff went to the restaurant on 227th Street on Thursday morning, to make peace with Mulcahy.
“They’re not sure, at the end of the day, whether it was parents or teachers,” he said, adding that the broken window may not have been related to the protest.
Mulcahy said he has no hard feelings with the teachers.
The premier and her caucus met for several hours at the ACT in Maple Ridge, following a celebration to officially designate the municipality from a district to a city. In attendance were current Education Minister Peter Fassbender, former education minister Don McRae, Finance Minister Mike de Jong and former Vancouver mayor Sam Sullivan among others.
The event was crashed by a large mob of placard-waving teachers and their supporters, shouting chants of “Recall Clark” and “shame, shame, shame.”
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