Bartender rages against Russians and is fired - "get threatening letters"
Created: 03/24/2022Updated: 03/24/2022 15:57
By: Franziska Vystrcil
After the Ukrainian Igor Golod, who lives in Baden-Württemberg, expressed his opinion about Russia on Instagram, his employer, the “Rizzi” restaurant in Baden-Baden, fired him.
© Screenshot Facebook Igor Golod/YouTube Obozrevatel TV/BW24 Photomontage
A bartender in Baden-Baden was fired for criticizing the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Instagram.
Even the Ukrainian foreign minister found out about it.
Baden-Baden - The war in Ukraine occupies people worldwide.
In Baden-Württemberg, too, people took to the streets and protested against the Russian invasion.
Tens of thousands recently gathered in the southwest to express their solidarity with Ukraine.
In Stuttgart, the "mass flow" of refugees from the Ukraine has already caused chaos.
The topic is also hotly debated on social media.
However, a video on Instagram triggered a chain reaction that the author probably never expected.
Igor Golod filmed himself jogging while talking about the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
The almost two minutes should be a "message to the Russians", according to the bartender.
Although things are quiet in Baden-Baden, where he lives, Russians should be careful in big cities.
They could be beaten up there, he says, and then rants about the war.
But his video message, in which the 51-year-old apparently wanted to get his frustration and anger off his chest, quickly spread online - and ultimately had a completely different effect than expected: it cost him his job.
Igor Golod worked in the luxury restaurant "Rizzi" in Baden-Baden for seven years.
Now the family man is left with nothing, as reported by BW24*.
After an opinion video on Instagram: the restaurant in Baden-Baden fires the bartender
The restaurant is very popular with Russian guests.
Apparently, Igor Golod's video is therefore a problem.
When his employer found out about the video, the manager fired him.
On his Facebook profile, Igor Golods shared a photo of his resignation letter.
There it says, among other things: "Unfortunately, we are forced to take this step due to the serious damage to your reputation." The restaurant commented on the decision on the homepage.
Every form of "racism" is condemned, and the video has legitimately "causing outrage and incomprehension among many," according to the company.
The "Rizzi" in Baden-Baden commented on Facebook about the termination of bartender Igor Golod.
© Imago images/Facebook Screenshot/BW24 photo montage
Igor Golod feels misunderstood and discriminated against.
“I have spoken my private opinion on social media.
I have the right to support my country.
I'm not a racist," he says in an interview with
Der Spiegel
.
"It affects me and my family directly, you understand.
I was emotional.” The people of Stuttgart were also shocked by Russia's attack on Ukraine.
However, the restaurant management does not justify the bartender's dismissal with the video and Igor Golod's statements in it alone.
Even before the video was published, there were problems with the employee, who is said to have snapped at guests several times because of their nationality.
He had been admonished several times for this.
The video then probably only put the crown on the whole thing.
Story of Igor Golod reaches Ukrainian Foreign Minister
The story of the fired bartender triggered a veritable shitstorm on social media - both against the restaurant and against Igor Golod.
As
Der Spiegel
reports, users asked for Molotov cocktails to be thrown at the restaurant.
The operators then switched off the “Rizzi” Facebook page.
The former bartender is also struggling with the aftermath of his video.
"My wife has already been attacked, I get threatening letters," he told
ntv
.
The story of the fired Ukrainian bartender is not only widespread in the traditional media and on social media.
Even in Ukraine itself it is a topic of conversation.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba found out about it and commented on the incident in a detailed Facebook post.
He sharply attacked the restaurant and condemned the manager's actions.
"My signal to all Putin supporters in Germany and other countries - you are just like Russian plane pilots killing Ukrainian civilians," he wrote.
He had already consulted with the consulate and with legal advice.
They want to stand by Igor Golod and "protect the legitimate interests of the Ukrainian workers".
“The Ukrainian state will not allow anyone to harm its citizens.
Neither in Ukraine, nor abroad.
We in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will react harshly to cases of disrespect," Dmytro Kuleba continued.
There are numerous offers of help for Ukrainian refugees in Baden-Württemberg.
Companies can also come up with special campaigns to collect donations, for example.
A bakery in Holzgerlingen sold both classic "Berliner" and "Ukrainer".
BW24
has put together an overview of how and where you can donate to war refugees in Baden-Württemberg.
*BW24 is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
