McDonald’s sued by former franchisee, after video of Aboriginal flag altercation

McDonald’s is embroiled in a legal battle after a disgruntled former franchisee claims he was forced out of the company due to a rant in which he questioned a man’s Aboriginality.

A Victorian man filmed in a viral video where he questioned his neighbour’s Aboriginality is suing McDonald’s after the fast food giant dumped him as a franchisee.

Robert Vigors, 65, owned two McDonald’s in the regional city of Mildura in 2019 however was quickly ordered to relinquish the two restaurants after the video was posted on social media in December 2019.

Filmed by Indigenous artist Robby Wirramanda-Knight, the video showed Ms Ridge attempting to remove an Aboriginal flag from Mr Knight’s vehicle.

“It’s (the flag) too strong for you Karen,” Mr Knight could be heard saying, before calling her a “racist pig”.

“Which 1 per cent of you is Aboriginal? You’ve got nothing in you that’s Aboriginal. You make me laugh. I mean OK you can do nice paintings and everything and I respect that work, don’t get me wrong, I respect that work, but you claiming to be Aboriginal? You make me laugh,” Mr Vigors says in the video.

Mr Vigors and Ms Ridge attempting to remove the flag.

Mr Knight then tells the pair his video of them “is going viral”.

“Let it go viral because people like you, people like you make a mockery of true Aboriginals. I have a lot of good Aboriginal friends,” Mr Vigors responds.

The video did go viral, and was covered by news organisations around the world, with McDonald’s stepping in soon after the 2019 video.

Mr Vigors did sell his two restaurants but in a lawsuit, filed with the Supreme Court of Victoria this week, the former McDonald’s boss claims the company “demanded” he sell them.

Mr Vigors alleges McDonald’s took “unconscientious disadvantage” of him, by taking over the restaurants at a cheaper price, due to the video.

“The defendant was a multinational corporation with vast resources, whilst the plaintiffs had limited resources and had invested most of their resources in the McDonald’s Deakin Restaurant and McDonald’s Irymple Restaurant,” Mr Vigors claims in court documents.

Mr Stanarevic said his client had “great confidence in the judicial process”.

McDonald’s said it would strenuously fight the lawsuit.

“We have a significantly different view of the events relating to this matter and will strenuously defend the claim,” a spokesman said.

“As the matter is before the Court, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Robby Wirramanda-Knight and his wife Jackie Wirramanda.

Mr Vigors is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and an order from the court that will void any contract he signed to release his two restaurants.

Following the video hitting social media, McDonald’s said Mr Vigors had “left the system” of the fast food chain.

“McDonald’s confirms the company has taken over the operation of the Mildura and Irymple restaurants, effective immediately, and Robert Vigors has left the system and is no longer involved,” a spokesman said in 2019.

“McDonald’s will be engaging with its employees regarding the change in arrangements, to ensure the ongoing operation of the restaurants.”

Mr Vigors lost his two McDonald’s restaurants after the video. Picture: Sarah Matray/NCA NewsWire

At the time he was dropped by McDonald’s, Mr Vigors had more than six years left on both license agreements.

Mr Vigors is suing a number of media outlets for defamation over the video.