An Everett woman, Nicole Pepin, is pressing charges against a Danvers farm employee following an altercation that took place after a family apple-picking outing on October 5. According to reports from The Boston Globe, Pepin and her sister were accused of hiding stolen apples in a baby stroller. She believes they were targeted because they are Hispanic, noting that white families were not subjected to the same treatment. Pepin asserted that the farm employee aggressively confronted them in the parking lot and went so far as to film them with his cell phone, which escalated to physical violence.
The situation was further compounded upon reviewing the police report, in which the farm's owner allegedly made comments insinuating that many of the racial minorities present were criminals. "It was very clear that [he] was referring to the many racial minorities in the crowd and was insinuating that they were criminals," an officer told NBC10 Boston.
During the confrontation, Pepin stated that the employee struck her, leading her to retaliate in self-defense. The incident has resonated on a personal level, as the family had spent the day enjoying the farm's offerings and had spent approximately $300.
Connors Farm has had previous accusations of racial profiling; a similar incident occurred in 2021. After that event, the farm committed to undertaking diversity and inclusion training for its staff. In a statement released and obtained by NBC10 Boston, Connors Farm said, "Connors Farm is aware of a single incident concerning allegations with respect to negative interaction at our farm between a patron and our security personnel." They expressed commitment to welcoming all patrons and are currently investigating the matter.
A witness at the scene called 911 reporting the aggressive behavior of the male employee, which was also mentioned in the police report. According to NBC10 Boston, police responded and noted in their report that the employee had "clearly provoked the incident" by following Pepin to her vehicle and escalating the situation. Nicole Pepin has since indicated that she is looking for legal representation to pursue her charges against the farm employee. As of now, Connors Farm has not made any further comments regarding the confrontation or its outcome.
