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This is the shocking moment a Connecticut couple approaches two landscapers mowing a lawn and asks them, “Are you here legally?”
Jose Martin had been at a residence in Middletown, Connecticut, near the home of Sharon Bourgeois-Williams, 58, and Robert Shaw, 62, on Sunday when the two began questioning him and his brother.
Martin, who operates his own landscaping business, said the two approached him claiming they were making too much noise.
Martin then decided to film the couple for seven minutes as they launched into a bitter tirade against him and his brother.
At one point you see Williams point to the two and ask them, “Do you have a visa to be here?” You don’t even have a visa, are you here legally? Are you here legally?’
Jose Martin decided to film the couple for seven minutes as they launched into a bitter tirade against him and his brother
As she continues to yell at the two, Martin pulls his brother, who is Puerto Rican, away from the two who continue their tirade.
Williams is heard repeatedly saying, “He’s not here legally. What do you pay him? You are not here legally, do you have a visa to be here in our country?’
Martin’s brother remains silent the entire time and only occasionally gestures to his brother in Spanish.
Before that, the couple can be seen filming Martin throughout, with Shaw at one point saying, “This is why we need a border wall, get these clowns out of here.”
Williams adds, “Take some good videos so you have to cross the border again.”
After the camera went off, police confirmed they had visited the area due to reports of harassment and arrested Shaw and Williams.
Middletown Police said, “Upon arrival, officers learned that residents of Frisbie Street had been harassing 39 J. Martin Landscaping employees on the roadway as they performed work at a residence in the area.
‘The two residents, identified as 62-year-old Robert Shaw and 58-year-old Sharon Bourgeois-Williams, berated the landscaping company’s employees for the noise level of their work.
“Additionally, they asked employees if they had work visas and their immigration status. J. Martin Landscaping employees remained calm and filmed the incident.”
Martin, who operates his own landscaping business, said the two approached him claiming they were making too much noise
Martin’s brother remains silent the entire time as Williams questions the two, only occasionally gesturing to each other in Spanish
The statement continued: “After a careful review of the video footage, Middletown Police determined that the hostile behavior of Shaw and Bourgeois-Williams prevented one employee from moving freely in the roadway.
“Both were charged with disorderly conduct and released on $10,000 bond.
“Shaw and Bourgeois-Williams will appear in Middletown Superior Court on October 26, 2023.”
Martin shared his video of the confrontation on social media, writing: ‘I was in the middle of a job when these two people approached me and claimed I was making ‘too much noise’ when I was just mowing the lawn.
‘In the video you can see how they decided to handle the situation. Please share this to raise awareness.”
Martin then told me NBC: ‘(I was) a little worried because I believed the man was going to attack us.
“Then she started cursing at me at the beginning so I picked up my phone and I knew this was going to be a problem. We work hard for our livelihood, this is really a tough job, and this is not an easy job.”
Local station WTNH also spoke to the couple, with Williams saying, “We made a mistake. I was drinking. I haven’t been myself lately, I’m certainly not a racist. My son is Puerto Rican.”
Bourgeois-Williams and Shaw were subsequently arrested over the video, with Williams, seen here, admitting she had been ‘drinking’ prior to the tirade
Both were charged with disorderly conduct and released on $10,000 bond
In a statement, Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said: “I was shocked to see the video circulating on Facebook of José Martín and his staff being bombarded with insults and racist comments by two people who live in Middletown.
Let me be clear: we will not tolerate this type of behavior in Middletown and it does not represent who we want to be as a community.
My staff has reached out to Mr. Martin to apologize for the way he was treated while working in our city. We never want anyone to think that what you saw on that video is what you get when you come to Middletown.
I have also been in contact with our police to see what action, if any, can be taken against the couple who hurled insults and slander at Mr Martin and his employee.
To anyone who saw the video and was affected by the behavior it captured, I am sorry that you were all treated this way and that so many had to witness it. We strive to do better in Middletown and know this is a constant work in progress. Please know that we are always working to get better.