Owner of Edinburgh Bagel Store Chain Accused by Landlord of ‘Typical Jewish Behavior’ After Asking to Defer Rent Payment Amid Coronavirus
The owner of a chain of bagel stores in Edinburgh, Scotland, was told by her landlord that she was exhibiting “typical Jewish behavior” when she asked him for a rearrangement of her rent payments due to the coronavirus crisis.
The Edinburgh Evening News reported that Larah Bross, the owner of the Bross Bagels chain in Portobello, a suburb of Edinburgh, has been forced to shutter her stores due to the pandemic, and is frantically trying to make financial arrangements with banks and landlords in order to save her business.
She asked one of her landlords, Mario Aydemir Demirezen, who is currently in Turkey, if she could defer this month’s rent payment, a request he refused.
In a text conversation, Demirezen wrote, “Why are you scared to talk and explain how will I get my rent?”
Bross replied, “Not scared. Just better to keep everything in writing so I can forward to my solicitor.”
Demirezen then said, “Typical Jewish behavior.”
Bross told the Evening News that she was “shocked and disgusted” by Demirezen’s slur.
Read More: Algemeiner