Police called on black man as he was trying to open his own business

A black man who is owner of a high-end lemonade stand in San Francisco said he had the police called on him when he was opening his own business.

Viktor Stevenson opened Gourmonade this week and went to check on the store’s security systems Thursday, he told AJ+.

Four cops approached him, one resting his hand on his gun, Stevenson said.

“Come to find out, somebody in the neighborhood called the cops and said that I was breaking into my own business,” Stevenson said.

The officer asked him to prove that he owned the business.

“I said ‘Absolutely. Like, I have the key,'” Stevenson said. “I opened and closed the doors.”

The San Francisco Police Department did not return requests for comment from SFGate, which also reported on the story.

Stevenson said he’s already had to face racism as a young entrepreneur before even opening his store.

“Somebody was writing ‘monkey juice’ on the side of my store,” he said.

Stevenson posted a photo of the incident on Instagram and said he has received immense community support.

This is what it’s like for a black business owner in a gentrifying SF neighborhood: Racist graffiti and calls to the police for unlocking your own store. pic.twitter.com/F9lVsIaKM7

— AJ+ (@ajplus) July 20, 2018

People are reportedly coming to his lemonade stand from all over the Bay Area to show their support.

Gourmonade sold out of stock in just two hours on Sunday, Stevenson said. 

The incident follows a viral video from last month showing a white woman dubbed “Permit Patty” calling 911 on a black girl selling bottled water in San Francisco outside of a Giants baseball game.