Lucy Edwards is a journalist and content creator who lives in the UK. Tragically, she lost her sight when she was 17 years old. Her parents got her a guide dog a year later to help her in her daily activities. Ever since then, the two have been rarely apart.
According to Lucy, having her pooch, Molly, gives her the confidence to go out every day. The highly-trained labrador keeps her out of danger, and she serves as a good friend too.
Thanks to her pet, the young lady has lived her life to the fullest. She can go to any place she wants without the fear of hurting herself or others. But one day, her liberties and rights were crossed when a rude restaurant employee refused her entry because of Molly.
The cringe-worthy exchange was all caught on video. And it quickly went viral after Lucy posted it on her Youtube channel. You can watch it below.
Breaking the law
Lucy and her fiancé, Olly, craved some Japanese food one day and went to a restaurant named Yo! Sushi in Central London. They were already inside the establishment looking for a table when a server went up to them. The worker told the couple that dogs were not allowed inside the restaurant and they should leave.
In the viral video, the blind woman informed the waiter that it is against the law to refuse entry to a disabled person that utilizes a service animal. She even informed the server of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act, which is now part of the UK Equality Act of 2010. The law grants access to guide dogs and their owners.
But still, the employee was adamant about his refusal. They had a heated exchange that almost put Lucy to tears. She eventually asked for a manager.
After the manager arrived, they were given a table. But because the couple was very upset, they decided to leave instead.
Call for equality
Lucy posted the video of their exchange online and used all her social media accounts to share her experience. She wanted people to know that disabled people should not be discriminated against. Her story went viral, and people were outraged.
A spokesperson from the Japanese restaurant ultimately called Lucy and apologized for the incident. He assured her that the incident was isolated and their employee had made a mistake.
It was a big victory for Lucy and her fight against discrimination. She hopes more establishments would learn from her experience.
Source: Lucy Edwards via Youtube
