Why is #RIPTacoBell trending? Black Lives Matter mask gets a worker fired

A 29-year-old Black man said he was fired from an Ohio Taco Bell after he refused to take off his Black Lives Matter mask.

The incident sparked the #RIPTacoBell trending topic on Twitter Thursday, as its users are trying to “cancel” the popular restaurant.

Later in the day Thursday, Taco Bell said it will allow workers to wear Black Lives Matter masks, according to USA Today.

Video posted June 8 by Denzel Skinner shows him wearing a mask with the words “Black Lives Matter” and an illustration of a black fist. Video was taken in Skinner’s vehicle after he was fired for wearing the mask, he said.

“All because I got a ‘Black Lives Matter’ mask on, I gotta get fired,” Skinner says in the video. “This is crazy.”

The voice of an unseen woman — identified by Skinner as the store manager — is heard on the video. She tells Skinner, “You can’t bring politics into the building.”

The reasoning the manager gave Skinner for not being allowed to wear the mask was, “It’s a company thing.” Skinner later posted a screenshot on Facebook that, he said, shows a team announcement on the restaurant’s mask policy. It does not state anything about what type of masks cannot be worn.

Warning: the video below contains language some may find offensive.

Taco Bell said its restaurants’ policies do not prohibit Black Lives Matter Masks, according to USA Today. “We are working to clarify our mask policy so this doesn’t happen again,” the fast-food chain stated.

Skinner said he wore the Black Lives Matter mask because the surgical mask he was given at the restaurant made it difficult for him to breathe.

Skinner addressed his firing a couple of hours later in another post on Facebook.

“I had so much respect for my boss and for her to say I’m done because of my mask and what I stand for and believe in is ridiculous ... I am always (going to) stand for what (is) right and what I believe in #BlackLivesMatter,” he said.

In a statement to WFMJ, Taco Bell said it is in the process of revising its mask policy “to address recent concerns.”

“We are working with our franchisee that operates this location to understand what happened,” the Kentucky-based restaurant told WFMJ. “We are committed to fighting racial injustice and are hosting open forums to give restaurant teams an opportunity to discuss racism in America. Our priority is to be an inclusive brand while keeping our team members and customers safe.”

Skinner, who worked at the Taco Bell for eight years, told WKBN he would not return to the job if he was asked to come back.

A protest occurred Friday outside the Taco Bell in support of Skinner, WKBN reported.

Taco Bell posted on Twitter Thursday that it was “deeply upset” by the situation and that the employee should not have been placed in the situation.

“We believe the Black Lives Matter movement is a human rights issue and not a political one,” Taco Bell stated. “We do not tolerate racism or violence against the Black community and we demand inclusivity. We know we still have a long way to go and we will make serious, tangible changes. We have been in conversations with Denzel and our franchisees to make sure our actions represent our words.”

As the hashtag #RIPTacoBell spread on Twitter on Thursday morning, many people were calling out the restaurant.

“Hey @TacoBell, nice PR move but you’re as fake as they come,” said one Twitter user, who shared the restaurant’s post on Black Out Tuesday.

Other people called out Yum! Brands, which owns Pizza Hut, Long John Silvers, KFC, A&W and Taco Bell. “Cancel them all,” Lauren Pelle said on Twitter.

This story was originally published June 18, 2020 at 1:14 PM.