ROSEVILLE, MN (WFLA) – A Joe’s Crab Shack restaurant in Minnesota had to apologize to a couple for an old photo used as an element of the table decoration, KARE TV reported.

The photo used as the table decor at the national chain restaurant shows a large group of people watching a public execution of at least one African-American person. On the bottom of the picture the caption reads “Hanging at Groesbeck, Texas on April 12th 1895.”

At the top of the photo, it says, “All I said was that I didn’t like the gumbo.”

Tyrone Williams and Chaunty Allen think this decoration is racially insensitive. They called the photo “disgusting,” according to KARE.

“We just felt sick and confused and it was just sickening,” Williams told KARE. “It was disgusting.”

The manager of the restaurant apologized and said he wasn’t aware the photo existed. The Minneapolis NAACP is demanding an immediate public apology by the chain’s corporate office and the immediate removal of the imagery from all the restaurants.

The group is also calling on the restaurant to donate to a local community-based organization that serves African-American teens.

According to the Death Penalty Information Center’s databased released online abd cited by media, Richard Burleson, 21, an African-American man was hung on Apr. 12, 1895, for murder and robbery in Texas.

When contacted on the matter, the chain’s spokesperson released a statement to KARE:

“We understand one of the photos used in our table décor at our Joe’s Crab Shack location in Roseville, MN was offensive. We take this matter very seriously, and the photo in question was immediately removed. We sincerely apologize to our guests who were disturbed by the image and we look forward to continuing to serve the Roseville community,” said David Catalano, COO Ignite Restaurant Group, Joe’s Crab Shack parent company.

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