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Hispanic customers accuse gas station cashier of refusing service for speaking Spanish

An evening night out to celebrate Valentine's Day turned into a viral discussion on social media for Tucson resident Guadalupe Lopez.

An evening night out to celebrate Valentine's Day turned into a viral discussion on social media for Tucson resident Guadalupe Lopez.

Lopez says a group of friends who a part of a Facebook group called "Fuerza Accion," in Tucson, got together on Friday, Feb. 16 to celebrate Valentine's Day.

After the night ended, Lopez and her friends decided to make a pit-stop at a Shell gas station.

"A group of friends entered the gas station, we started laughing, we were a little loud, but calm," said Lopez.

She says that the gas station employee told the group repeatedly to be quiet.

"You can't tell us to be quiet, we are customers and we have the right to speak," said Lopez in response to the gas station employee.

Lopez says that the employee also told the group to stop speaking Spanish.

"He [referring to her co-worker] doesn't know what you are saying, you need to leave," said the female gas station employee in Spanish, in the viral video that Lopez posted on Facebook.

Lopez says that a couple of her friends were using the restroom and were denied service.

"She goes to the restroom door, she opens the door while people are inside and [the female employee] does not want to close the door," Lopez told 12 News.

"We can refuse service to anyone," said the female employee in English in the video.

She says that eventually her friends just end up using the restroom while the door is being held open by the female employee.

The employees called police. Lopez says while the female employee was on the phone, Lopez heard other discriminatory remarks being made by the employee about the group.

12 News has reached out to Shell Corporate and they provided this statement from Andeavor, who does marketing for Shell:

At Andeavor, respect is a core value and it is paramount that we provide all customers with superior customer service. We take this issue very seriously. We have conducted an investigation and the matter has been closed. It is store policy to provide quality service to all customers.

12 News requested the results of the investigation.

Lopez and her group of friends have not reached out to police and are still waiting to see which steps they will take next.

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