Bartender from Hazie's Fired After Tripping Intoxicated Customer Who Violently Assaulted Him

Miguel Marchese, a bartender at Hazie's, thought he was doing the right thing by protecting his colleagues and himself from a violent, drink-fuelled rampage. Instead, the 25-year-old bartender has been left jobless, punished for the very act of survival.

Marchese spoke publicly about his termination nearly a month after the incident. How things ended up for Marchese has raised eyebrows and sparked furious debate about worker safety.

Termination via Email and the Insurance Risk Excuse

Nearly a month after a drunk woman attacked the restaurant workers at Hazie's, the bartender who stood his ground to protect himself and his colleagues received an email informing him that he was terminated from his job. Marchese had worked at the diner for two years but got sacked due to a violent encounter with an intoxicated customer, who was later identified as Shireen Afkari.

Many approved of what Marchese did. However, despite the outpouring of public support, Marchese confirmed his termination to Axios, saying he was officially jobless on Sunday and he received the notification via email the day before.

According to him, the restaurant decided to let him go after he tripped Afkari as it reportedly posed a legal and insurance risk should she sue the establishment. He was suspended as Hazie's investigated the incident.

The restaurant reportedly offered him £3,715 ($5,000) severance pay with a non-disclosure agreement and legal waivers, which he opted to decline.

Marchese Admits He Didn't Expect the Termination

During an interview with Axios, Marchese recounted the incident and insisted he did nothing wrong. The interview uploaded on Instagram also included the viral video where two customers, including Afkari, physically confronted the restaurant workers, including Marchese.

'I honestly didn't believe I was going to get fired because at the end of the day, I didn't do anything wrong,' he explained.

He recounted how Afkari ran into the kitchen and screamed at the workers. She was also going to come behind the bar, so Marchese took action because 'I'm caught in the crossfire.'

In the video, it can be seen that Marchese's hair and neck were getting pulled. He acknowledged that one needs a 'strong backbone' to be in the hospitality business and stressed that he's not a 'hyper-sensitive person.' He, however, also didn't think he deserved to be physically assaulted at his workplace.

'I don't deserve to get my hair pulled out at work and then get fired from my job,' Marchese added.

According to him, when he saw Afkari walking towards the door after he led her outside the establishment, he thought she was coming after him, so he tripped her to protect himself. Marchese maintained that tripping the customer was a final effort to keep her at a distance after she had repeatedly kicked and punched him.

However, some felt he went too far, with some claiming she fell on her head. Marchese clarified that Afkari was fine and she fell on her shoulder. She even 'bounced right back' after tripping.

December Altercation with Intoxicated Strava Manager

The violent altercation involving Marchese, Afkari, another man, and other restaurant workers occurred on 13 December 2025, around 9:30 pm at Hazie's restaurant in Haye's Valley. Afkari, dubbed as 'Drunk Karen', was reportedly intoxicated. Marchese said she and her companion were giving the server a hard time due to their 'harsh' attitude and they were reportedly 'verbally abrasive.'

When the manager retracted the drinks served on Afkari's table, it 'spiraled into chaos.' She started yelling and a physical brawl ensued. So, Marchese and another restaurant employee restrained the couple and led them outside the restaurant. However, outside the establishment, Afkari concentrated all her strength to attack Marchese.

'As soon as I'm about to let her go, because she's off the property, she's someone else's issue, she grabs my hair really tight, because I have very long hair,' Marchese told KRON 4. 'She wraps my hair around her hand and just pulls on it for dear life. It was quite painful.'

The other staff members and bystanders tried to help him free himself from Afkari's grip. Marchese eventually tossed Afkari's phone and got free from her. When Afkari ran to retrieve her mobile phone, Marchese, who thought she was coming after him, tripped her and she fell onto the sidewalk.

It was later learned that Afkari worked as a senior manager of growth marketing and retention at Strava. However, Strava terminated her after learning about her 'extremely concerning off-hours behavior.'