A woman said she was left feeling ‘humiliated’ after Subway staff called the police on her for ‘taking too long in the toilet’.
Dasia Jones, from Maryland, US, was in Washington DC for the Pride parade when the incident unfolded.
After the zipper broke on her dress, she ran to a nearby Subway and asked to use their bathroom, but less than five minutes later she said cops were banging on the door and forcing her out of the cubicle with her body exposed to diners.
A spokesperson for Subway has since said the employees called the police only after they received no response from the guest in the restroom and they were 'concerned for her safety'.
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But Dasia said the whole situation was extremely distressing, writing on Twitter: “I hadn’t even been in there for five minutes.
“The police came banging on the bathroom door while the employees yell at me to get out. At this point I am in tears because I thought I was going to get arrested for no reason!!
“I was forced out of the bathroom while my breasts are exposed in a crowded Subway. As I am publicly embarrassed and am in tears, my zipper broke and could not be fixed!!”
She explained that when the officers realised she wasn’t covered up, they told the staff to allow her back into the bathroom.
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But once they left, Dasia claims Subway employees ordered her to leave the store once more.
“I am diagnosed with anxiety so now I am hysterical as people are watching me be dehumanised and publicly humiliated,” Dasia continued.
“The Subway shop threatened to put me street halfway naked because I was a ‘disruption’.
“I feel stripped of my rights to even feel confident and beautiful. I literally stood in the subway holding my breast clenched over crying because I felt hopeless and the Subway tried to call the police again!!
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"The Subway has no care for a Black LGBT woman in distress!!"
Dasia said she’s suffered from ‘extreme anxiety’ and ‘mental pain’ as a result of what happened, telling NTK: "The confusion and humiliation I felt was unbearable.
"I feel like if you didn’t want me in your bathroom, just say no, I would have tried to go somewhere else. This was just the closest accessible place to get myself together.
"The employers just have no respect for humanity whatsoever. I knew during that moment that people are going to know about how disgusting this establishment is."
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A spokesperson for Subway told LADbible that they have reached out to the franchisee of this location to find out more information about the situation.
They added: "Franchise employees are trained to create a safe and welcoming environment for all of our guests and, over the weekend, gave this guest access to the restroom.
"The employees called the police only after they received no response from the guest in the restroom over an extended period of time. Franchise employees became concerned for her safety.
"The authorities checked on the guest and, after confirming she was safe, they promptly left the restaurant. The guest later left the restaurant on her own."
Daisy Phillipson