Karen Ridge named as woman who tried to pull down Aboriginal flag as husband sacked from McDonald’s

A McDonald’s franchisee filmed racially abusing an Indigenous couple while his wife tried to tear down their Aboriginal flag has been sacked.

Rob Vigors and Karen Ridge appeared to take issue with their neighbour in Mildura, Victoria, flying the flag and confronted them on Friday night.

In shocking footage posted on social media Ms Ridge was seen aggressively trying to rip the flag from their car.

The Aboriginal man, Robby Wirramanda, filmed the incident, which was shared by himself and later a family member.

On Sunday Ms Ridge told Daily Mail Australia that she had received death threats since the video went viral on social media and did not feel safe giving her side of the story.

‘There are always two sides to every story and there was a great deal of harassment before this event occurred,’ she said.

‘They even caught and claim to have eaten my pet cat.’ 

Rob Vigors and Karen Ridge appeared to take issue with their neighbours in Mildura, Victoria, for flying an Aboriginal flag

Mr Vigors has been the  franchisee of the local McDonald’s since 1992 but on Sunday the fast food chain announced he had left the company.

‘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,’ it said.

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

Ms Ridge runs travel agency Food and Wine Travel that organises food-themed tours around the world.

Her website says the company offers ‘unique, memorable, individually tailored holidays, based around food and wine experiences’.

Mr Vigors has been the franchisee of the local McDonald's since 1992 but on Sunday the fast food chain announced he had left the company

Mr Vigors has been the franchisee of the local McDonald’s since 1992 but on Sunday the fast food chain announced he had left the company 

Ms Ridge runs travel agency Food and Wine Travel that organises food-themed tours around the world

Ms Ridge runs travel agency Food and Wine Travel that organises food-themed tours around the world

Her website says the company offers 'unique, memorable, individually tailored holidays, based around food and wine experiences'

Her website says the company offers ‘unique, memorable, individually tailored holidays, based around food and wine experiences’

The Indigenous couple, two well-respected Aboriginal artists, had the flag flying on their white 4×4 outside their new home in Mildura.

The video filmed by Mr Wirramanda showed Mr Vigors accusing them of ‘being only 1 per cent Aboriginal’.  

Ms Ridge (pictured) tries to rip the family's Aboriginal flag in the shocking footage filmed in Victoria

Ms Ridge (pictured) tries to rip the family’s Aboriginal flag in the shocking footage filmed in Victoria

He is seen standing next to the family’s car wearing a white and red checkered shirt and a brown hat. 

Mr Wirramanda is heard calmly saying: ‘I sincerely hope that we don’t have to talk again.’

He then turns the camera to film Ms Ridge desperately tugging at the family’s flag.

‘Look at you, trying to rip my flag off. You’re a drunken, f*****g bum,’ he went on.

‘It’s too strong for you, Karen!’ 

Having given up with her effort to rip the flag, Ms Ridge then says: ‘Take this s**t down, it’s a disgrace’.

Mr Vigors (pictured) appeared on the family's driveway and insisted they 'weren't real Aboriginals'

Mr Vigors (pictured) appeared on the family’s driveway and insisted they ‘weren’t real Aboriginals’

Mr Vigors and Ms Ridge are understood to have walked onto the Wirramandas property in Mildura unannounced and started to berate the family. 

As the shocking footage continued, Mr Wirramanda then calls Ms Ridge a ‘racist pig’, to which the couple protest and insist she ‘isn’t racist’.

Despite saying she isn’t racist, she then asked him: ‘which half of you is Aborginal?’

The man – understood to her husband – then chimed in: ‘Which 1 per cent of you is Aboriginal? Mate, you’ve got nothing in you that’s Aboriginal.

‘You make me laugh. You do some nice paintings and I respect that work. Don’t get me wrong, I respect that work. But you claiming to be Aboriginal? 

‘You make me laugh. You really, really do. Because this is the problem with this country and so many people in this area and this country – people like you make a mockery of true Aboriginals.  

‘I have a lot of good Aboriginal friends that live in far-north Queensland and the Northern Territorial. They’d love to see you and come and give you a lecture on what Aboriginal is.’

Keeping his cool, Mr Wirramanda then wishes them goodnight saying: ‘Good night Karen, good night Karen, good night Karen.’

Ms Ridge then replied: ‘Go and live in your f*****g humpy down the river.’

The couple’s child confirmed their parents had reported the incident to police and were looking for a lawyer.

They added that their three young brothers saw the exchange. 

Ms Ridge (pictured) eventually gives up trying to tear down the family's flag, but tells them to 'take this s**t down'

Ms Ridge (pictured) eventually gives up trying to tear down the family’s flag, but tells them to ‘take this s**t down’

In a statement from his wife Jackie, which was posted online by their child, she said the family were ‘sickened’ by the incident.

‘This happened to my family last night,’ she said.

‘These racists behaved this way in front of my children. They entered our garage where I was painting and started their ugly racist rant. This is not the first time racism has reared its ugly head with these two either.

‘I feel sickened, as does my family. Trying to stay positive right now. Thank you to everyone who has supported us at this time. 

‘I must say though, Robby stayed super calm throughout this disgusting racist rant. He is a legend in my eyes and also that in my sons.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk