A British CEO who was filmed racially abusing an Asian family has stepped down from his San Francisco tech company after the footage went viral.
Michael Lofthouse, 37, went on a racist tirade while he was in a restaurant, prompting a waitress there to throw him out.
Advert
Jordan Chan and her family were celebrating a family birthday at Bernardus Lodge and Spa's Lucia restaurant in Carmel Valley on 4 July when Lofthouse starting hurling racial slurs at them, shouting 'you f***ing Asian piece of s***' at one of them.
He issued an apology to the family, but after being accused of being insincere, has made the decision to leave his company Solid8 and cut all ties.
He said: "It is with regret that my initial statement and apology did not go far enough in addressing my behavior in Carmel last weekend and the steps that I need to take. I can confirm that I have stepped down from Solid8, terminating all business relationships with immediate effect."
In a statement released to Fox News on Saturday, Lofthouse explained: "I have once again begun my journey back to sobriety and have enrolled in an anti-racist program with immediate effect.
Advert
"My comments towards the families involved were racist, hurtful and deeply inappropriate. The reactions to what was said have been deserved and I wholeheartedly acknowledge that I am complicit in a system that enables this behavior and these broken beliefs to exist but I am dedicated to changing."
He asked again for the victims of the racial abuse to accept his apology.
The statement continued: "To the Chan and Orosa families, Gennica Cochran and the restaurant Bernardus please accept my heartfelt and sincere apologies, I hope that the conversations and awareness that this incident has created can act as a catalyst for necessary change.
Advert
"It is my commitment to you to overcome my issues and be part of the solution for an equal and compassionate future."
The waiter that kicked him out of the restaurant has now received more than $97,000 (£76,000) in tips since the incident through three GoFundMe accounts.
A video taken by Jordan Chan captured a portion of the exchange and shows Lofthouse standing up and yelling the family: "Trump's gonna f*** you."
Adding: "You f****** need to leave! You f****** Asian piece of s***!"
Advert
It is at that moment that server Gennica Cochran jumps in and demands that Lofthouse leave the restaurant and never comes back.
She can be heard saying: "No, you do not talk to our guests like that! Get out of here! They are valued guests."
Featured Image Credit: Twitter