Protesters demand closure of pizza shop where altercation took place

PITTSBURGH — Dozens of people protested for a second day Monday outside of a Downtown pizza shop where a woman was assaulted by an employee.

Channel 11 spoke with people who say they want Pizza Milano on Fifth Avenue shut down for good and the manager involved in the incident charged with attempted murder. By noon, there were about 100 people outside.

"We want to send the message to the rest of the establishments in the city that we will not be abused, we will not be mistreated," said organizer Nicky Jo Dawson.

According to police, Mahmut Yilmaz and Jade Martin were involved in a “violent altercation” at Pizza Milano on Fifth Avenue in the Uptown neighborhood.

The incident between Yilmaz - who was a manager at the restaurant at the time - and Martin was caught on camera, and the video quickly spread via social media.

RELATED: Police: Pizza shop manager didn't think he hurt woman in altercation

At one point in the video, Martin pushes past Yilmaz, who grabs her by the arm and pulls her back by the entrance, where he pins her against the doorframe. After a few moments, the video shows him appearing to headbutt Martin.

They then fall to the floor, where he appears to grab her by the head or hair and shake her repeatedly, possibly hitting her head against the floor.At times, Monday's protest spilled out onto the street.

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Yilmaz has been charged with simple and aggravated assault. On Monday, the owner of Pizza Milano, Semsi Yilmaz -- no relation to Mahmut Yilmaz -- said he immediately terminated the manager after seeing the video and condemns his actions.

"Regardless of what led up to the exchange, what he did goes against our policies and my beliefs. It’s not the way we run our business, and our customers need to know that," Semsi Yilmaz said in a statement.

Organizers at Monday’s protest said they believe Martin was assaulted because of her race, and at times, the protest spilled out onto the street.

"The charges of simple and aggravated assault, they are just not enough," Dawson said. "That was an attempted murder.

"We want to make it apparent that this is what community looks like when you are in this neighborhood and you don't value the people who are spending their dollars here. We don't want you here."

Martin also faces lesser charges of defiant trespass and disorderly conduct.

Cox Media Group