Anonymous man threatens to “blow up” Las Vegas store over LGBTQ and Biden-Harris signs
Owners of bubble tea shop say they thought about removing the signs, but decided not to cave to pressure
An anonymous man called a bubble tea company last week to insult and threaten the business for having a pro-LGBTQ sign, in the colors of the Pride flag, and a Biden-Harris sign hanging outside its Las Vegas store.
The man called to ask why the signs were there, ranting about Biden supporting a “global world order,” and calling the LGBTQ sign a “fucking faggot sign.”
Caroline Sadorra, the co-owner and store manager, tried to tell the man it was a personal preference, he said, “Go fuck yourself, losers!”
The man then called a second time, according to an audio recording posted on the business’ website. He demanded to know who the owner was, wanting to accuse them of being “anti-American.”
When Sadorra declined to give him that information, he said, “You’re a scumbag! I’m going to blow up your fucking store!”
Sadorra told the caller he could go to jail for making such a threat, at which point he hung up the phone.
Speaking to Las Vegas NBC affiliate KSNV, Sadorra said that the Biden-Harris sign was left behind from an event that U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) had held last week. The Pride sign has always hung outside the business.
Milk + T co-owner Beyah Delmundo told KSNV that she thought about taking down the sign after the threat, but decided against it.
“Right now is not the time to be silent and to be shy about what you stand for,” she said.
Delmundo said she would be filing a police report with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
KSNV reporter Gabby Hart called the man’s number, which was captured by caller ID. But when Hart asked about the incident and sought comment, the man who answered the phone hung up, and refused to answer the phone when Hart called back.
See also: Gay New Mexico lawmaker flees home after receiving anti-gay voicemails and death threats
After the story went to air, Delmundo and Sadorra say they received overwhelming support from the community.
“On behalf of MILK+T, we just want to say THANK YOU,” the pair wrote in an update on the store’s Facebook page.
“Thank you for coming out and standing with us. We’ve had people from the community who voluntarily spent hours at the shop day in and day out ‘just in case.’ After our story aired, we’ve received love and heat — but we focus on the love. No matter how difficult it has been, we will say it again: we were never wrong about Las Vegas. Las Vegas is a special place for us and the community always shows up.
“Being in this position, we have been questioned and pushed to remove our flags. They said ‘we’d get more business’ if we did. Beyond “BOBA” [bubble tea], we’re a company full of real people and as we grow as individuals, we’re finding out a lot of things that we personally care about,” the post continued. “We understand it’s a risk, but it’s so important to stand with the communities that support you.
“…Thank you for standing with us. Our goal is to have a safe space, where we can have open conversations regardless of differences in POV. At the end of the day, we’re all in this together.”
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