A 23-year-old Seattle woman, the owner of a coffee shop, shattered a customer's car windshield after he allegedly threw coffee at her on June 11. "Women are allowed to respond when there is danger in ways other than crying," Emma Lee asserted, defending her action in a social media post. The incident was caught on camera and widely shared online. Lee stressed that the customer had been disrespectful to her on many occasions. She alleged that she finds herself in danger in such situations.
During one such interaction, Lee asked the man to leave but he began to allegedly threaten her. However, when she asked the man to leave, he threw the drink at her and proceeded to drive off in his car. Lee then immediately took a hammer and smashed it on his windshield before he could leave.
Heated Interaction Turns Physical
In a video posted by Emma Lee on Instagram, a man can be seen stepping out of his car to complain to the drive-through coffee shop owner about the price of his coffee. As the altercation escalated, the customer can be heard threatening her saying, "Nobody is going to miss you." This instigated Lee to ask, "Do you want me to throw (drink) this on you?”
After allegedly arguing for over 15 minutes, he then flung the two drinks-- a coffee and a cup of water-- at her and sat back in his car to leave. However, Lee immediately took out a hammer and smashed the customer's windshield. The coffee shop owner then posted the interaction on her Instagram page and described her experience as a woman in business.
"We work alone in this industry, wearing nearly nothing and interacting with men (most of which we don’t know) all day," Lee explained. "The majority of people we meet throughout our shifts are kind, respectful, and overall amazing humans! However, on occasion, we see the ones that think it is appropriate to get violent both verbally and physically."
Lee continued to explain the issues that women face, working in careers that are disproportionately protected. "It’s 2024 and the women in this industry know, these interactions happen on a way too regular basis if not to us personally, to someone we know or love. At what point during an assault does a woman have the right to protect herself?" she questioned.
Lee explained that she has had several unpleasant experiences with this customer, who often complains about the price or the quality of his drink. However, he allegedly makes Lee feel unsafe. She exclaimed, "This is no longer the time of women that will smile and apologize, having our only acceptable response be the art of de-escalation - this time, we will fight back!"
As the video went viral, she also called out the individuals who were blaming her. "The fact that the first thing people want to know is what I did to deserve him throwing two drinks at me is disgusting. We need to change the narrative of these conversations," she wrote. Lee then quoted the Mexican revolutionary, Emiliano Zapata, "It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees."
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