( CNN ) The owner of a Chinese restaurant in Nairobi , Kenya has been arrested following an uproar over its policy of banning African customers at night , according to reports . Owner Zhao Yang was arrested for operating a restaurant without a valid license shortly after local press ran a story alleging that Kenyan reporters were turned away from the restaurant -- for being African . Kenya 's Daily Nation newspaper carried a story Monday that its reporters had been barred entry to the restaurant , being told by a guard at the entrance that `` the time for Africans is over '' when the journalists arrived at 7 p.m. Only locals accompanied by Chinese , European or Indian patrons would be admitted , the newspaper reported . It also reported that two local politicians , `` loyal patrons '' Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko and former Cabinet Minister Raphael Tuju , had been admitted , the latter being a friend of the owner . Kenyan social media users were quickly up in arms about the ban , taking to Facebook and Twitter to voice their displeasure , using the hashtag # noblacksallowed . The establishment , known only as Chinese Restaurant , in the Kilimani neighborhood of Nairobi , has subsequently been closed after it transpired that it lacked several necessary licenses , said reports . The Daily Nation reported that the Chinese-owned eatery lacked liquor , health or change-of-use licences -- the latter needed as the property had been converted from a residence to a restaurant . Co-owner and restaurant manager Esther Zhao told the newspaper that the `` no Africans at night '' policy had its roots in security concerns . `` We do n't admit Africans that we do n't know because you never know who is Al-Shabaab and who is n't , '' she said , referencing the Islamist militant group that is active in Kenya and neighboring Somalia . `` It is not like it is written on somebody 's face that they are a thug armed with a gun , '' she said . The restaurant 's owners appeared to admit culpability in a statement reproduced in the newspaper . `` Because of the concern of the business environment at night and the bad memory of ( a robbery in ) 2013 , we adopted certain measures . Unfortunately , some of the measures were inappropriate , we sincerely apologize for this , '' the management said in a statement . China is the largest outside investor in African economies but resentment against Chinese in Kenya and other African nations is significant as many Africans often regard Chinese businesses as , in the words of one Chinese journalist , `` resource predators '' or `` environmental vandals . '' One Kenyan reporter commenting on the restaurant 's ban likened the policy to a new form of colonialism in Africa . There is this Chinese restaurant next to Nairobi hospital and my two colleagues Patrick Mayoyo and Dennis Onsarigo and ...
A Chinese-owned restaurant in Nairobi was criticized for having discriminatory policies barring black Africans . Owner arrested after licensing violations discovered . Restaurant shut down by county officials . Kenyan Twitter and Daily Nation users criticized the establishment .