Latrobe City Council is investigating an incident between the café tenant of Latrobe Regional Gallery in Morwell and a community member which occurred on social media.
Someone using So Swish café’s Facebook page reportedly called a woman of Moroccan descent a “monkey” on Facebook last week.
Latrobe City Council chief executive Gary Van Driel said council could not comment while the issue was being investigated.
“However, council does not condone abusive, threatening, offensive, defamatory or demeaning behaviour, in any form,” he said.
The incident took place on Facebook, after Najat Idmouh was tagged in a So Swish post advertising the café was looking to hire an employee.
Ms Idmouh posted that she was not interested, after which a comment from the café’s Facebook page called her a “smart arse” and then, in a separate comment said “no monkeys allowed”.
The café has since taken down its Facebook page, but The Express has seen copies of the exchange.
Ms Idmouh said she had declined to apply for the position because she was not interested in working in the hospitality industry.
“I was very angry and upset as I am Moroccan and was bullied in school for my race,” she said.
The Express attempted to contact So Swish for comment.
