![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2_JS405180052.png\")
<\/p>\nThe clip was posted by Cafe28, an artisan coffee shop on Dame Street in Dublin owned and operated by the Mercantile Group, last week.<\/p>\n
The video has since been deleted <\/p>\n
A city centre cafe has come under fire after a mock sketch showed a staff member placing a cloth over a woman\u2019s mouth who was acting as a pedestrian before being dragged inside.<\/p>\n
The clip was posted by Cafe28, an artisan coffee shop on Dame Street in Dublin owned and operated by the Mercantile Group, last week.<\/p>\n
It was published on both TikTok and Facebook – but the video has since been deleted.<\/p>\n
The skit shows a barista standing behind a pillar as a \u201cfemale passerby\u201d walks by.<\/p>\n
A male staff member, who is wearing an apron, can then be seen putting a cloth over her face before dragging her into the cafe.<\/p>\n
The act appears to be a reference to using chloroform to make a person fall unconscious.<\/p>\n
A caption on the video reads: \u201cWhe the manager says you need to get more customers in\u201d(sic).<\/p>\n
The post received immediate backlash on social media before the cafe deleted it.<\/p>\n
One TikTok user said: \u201cNot sure this is the best marketing campaign\u201d while another said \u201cI would probably delete this\u201d.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_JS405180049.png\")
<\/p>\n
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre have hit out at the skit<\/p>\n
A third wrote: \u201cIs this meant to be funny\u201d while another asked: \u201cThis is not it, is this type of behaviour funny to you?” The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre also slammed the social media skit.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Chief Executive of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Rachel Morrogh, said: \u201cI understand that the people who featured in the clip probably didn\u2019t intend to cause any harm, but the trivialisation of violence against women is a symptom of the rape culture that Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is trying to eliminate.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking light of a woman being drugged and dragged away normalises gender-based violence and minimises the harm it causes.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cI would urge any business with a public platform to ensure that staff are have received sexual violence awareness training.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is particularly important for those working in pubs and clubs where there is a higher risk of drug-facilitated violence like the video is depicting.\u201d<\/p>\n
She continued: \u201cGender-based violence is something countless people have experienced, or live in fear of when they go out. To trivialise that, particularly from a business that serves the public, betrays a deep lack of understanding of what survivors have lived through.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone affected by sexual violence can contact our 24-hour national helpline on 1800 77 8888, which is free and confidential.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a statement, a Cafe28 said: “We recently shared what we intended to be a light hearted video, which was supposed to showcase the lengths our team would go to in bringing in new customers.<\/p>\n
“On reflection the content was not in good taste and we were made aware it had been interpreted in a way we did not intend. As soon as this was highlighted to us, we removed the video.<\/p>\n
“On reflection, we recognise that it missed the mark. We sincerely apologise for any offence caused.”<\/p>\n