Owners of Arizona restaurant say they’re facing boycott threats, criticism over Trump support

The owners of a restaurant in Arizona say they are facing boycott threats and criticism for their support of President Trump.

Betty and Jorge Rivas, who own Sammy’s Mexican Grill in Catalina, Ariz., near Tucson, told “Fox & Friends” Sunday that they have received backlash after Betty Rivas was spotted at Trump’s Phoenix rally in February. 

Jorge Rivas told Fox News that a photo of Betty Rivas at the rally behind the president was circulating online with a caption identifying her as the co-owner of the restaurant. 

“And they started to boycott us and telling people, ‘Don’t go to that restaurant. They are nasty. They are racist. This is an awful place to go,’” he said.

The owners said they received calls “threatening us and giving us a hard time” as the picture spread online. They added that the criticism affected business the “first couple of days.”

“People know that anyone as an American has the right to support whoever you want. … In a way, this turned out to be pretty good, thankfully,” Jorge Rivas said.

“I personally feel that to me, staying quiet and saying, ‘Oh, I’m not going to express my opinion because they might attack me,’ that will go against what I believe. That will go against what America stands for,” he added.

The owners also took heat when Betty Rivas appeared on stage with Trump at a 2016 campaign rally with a “Latinos for Trump” sign. They said a picture of her and the president hangs in the restaurant.

“You’re wasting your time,” Jorge Rivas said to attackers in a video posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page on Feb. 27. “Please, do something else with your time, like going to educate yourself. Do something for your family, and stop harassing us.”

The president tweeted in support of the restaurant, tagging “Fox & Friends” and saying the food “is GREAT.”

“Congratulations to Betty & Jorge Rivas on doing such a wonderful job,” Trump tweeted. “I will try hard to stop by the next time I am in Phoenix. Support Sammy’s!”

The food is GREAT at Sammy’s Mexican Grill in Phoenix, Arizona. Congratulations to Betty & Jorge Rivas on doing such a wonderful job. I will try hard to stop by the next time I am in Phoenix. Support Sammy’s! @foxandfriends

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 1, 2020

The restaurant’s Yelp page says it is being monitored for “content related to media reports.”