Italian Restaurant Comes Under Fire For 'Black Olives Matter' Signage

Employees at Paisano's, a restaurant in Albuquerque, thought they were being funny when they advertised for a tapenade special with a "Black Olives Matter" sign outside their restaurant. Given the racial tensions between citizens and police recently, the tongue-in-cheek signage did not go over well with customers and passersby.

"We put up what we thought was a cute play on words, which we do commonly here at the restaurant," Rick Camuglia, the owner, told NBC affiliate KOB. "We were trying to promote our pan-seared Ahi tuna with a black olive tapenade relish. And so we put 'black olives matter, try our tapenade.'"

People took to the restaurant's Facebook page to flood it with bad reviews and critical comments.

"As a woman of color I find your posting offensive and in very bad taste," one commenter wrote. "You simply wish to rub salt in an ugly festering wound which evil minded people refuse to allow to heal."

Eventually the restaurant was forced to take the sign down. A statement released on its Facebook page read:

"Many have shown a unique way to show solidarity. I can't count the number of customer's orders who've included adding Black Olives to every dish ordered. Pizzas, Sandwiches and pasta dishes with "double Black Olives Please!" all day long. So much that we almost ran out and ordered more. We have served Albuquerque for over 40 years and look forward to the next 40."