Lawyer apologizes for rant about Spanish speakers, immigrants: 'I am not a racist'

Chris Woodyard | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Lawyer behind viral restaurant rant issues apology: 'I'm not racist' Aaron Schlossberg, who was caught on video allegedly yelling at Spanish-speaking restaurant employees has apologized, according to the Hill. Veuer's Sam Berman has the full story.

A man whose outburst against illegal immigrants and Spanish speakers last week was captured on video and became an Internet sensation has apologized.

Aaron Schlossberg posted a tweet in which he said he handled the situation poorly, states "I am not a racist" and talks about how much he loves immigrants.

In the tweeted apology, Schlossberg said "seeing myself online opened my eyes -- the manner in which I expressed myself is unacceptable and is not the person I am."

In the video, recorded inside a New York restaurant, the man later identified in media reports as Schlossberg starts off by complaining to an employee who appears to be a manager, "Your staff is speaking Spanish to customers when they should be speaking English."

He says it's "every person I listen to" — pointing around the room. "It's America."

He goes on to say "my guess is they are not documented."

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He blasts them for having come to the U.S. and how they "live off my money. I pay for their welfare. I pay for their ability to be here. The least they can do is speak English."

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted "the 8.6 million people who call this city home speak more than 200 languages — they're all New Yorkers and they're all welcome here."