Tyrolean vegetable grower faces criticism over racist remarks

A Tyrolean vegetable grower is facing widespread criticism after a video showed him making racist remarks to a dark-skinned influencer at Munich’s Oktoberfest, ORF reported.

The video, viewed hundreds of thousands of times and shared and commented on thousands of times on social media, shows the grower, from the area around Hall, speaking with the influencer and several colleagues. Asked where he was from, the grower gestured and told him to “go home,” adding that he was not at home there, that “the Germans” were, and that they were “white.”

The influencer remained calm and the encounter did not visibly escalate. The grower later posted an apology on social media, saying he had been drunk and stupid. The video was no longer available about 13 hours after it was posted.

The Association of Tyrolean Vegetable Growers, of which the grower’s business is a member, publicly distanced itself from his “racist statements.” It said it had spoken to him and made clear that racism had no place in the association, particularly when members employed people from different countries. The association added that an apology did not undo the statements and said he would have to take responsibility in the future.