An Italian worker at a restaurant in Ghana under investigation for allegedly operating a "whites only" policy has told the BBC it was a misunderstanding.
Marco Ranaldi said he made "a joke" about the racial profile of members of the Atlantic Lobsters and Dolphins.
A Ghanaian woman started an online protest after visiting the restaurant a week ago and allegedly being told that it was "only for white people".
Meanwhile, tourism authorities closed it on Tuesday as it was not licensed.
Police are still investigating the allegations of racism.
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The BBC's Samuel Bartels in the capital, Accra, says Elizabeth Okoro's campaign on the social media site Facebook has generated a huge uproar in the country.
Ms Okoro, 26, said she visited the restaurant in the capital, Accra, with some colleagues a week ago and was shocked to hear about the membership rules for the establishment.
"My Spanish colleague started filling out the membership book and at that point I said: 'Oh excuse me, I'd also like to join this club', and he responded, 'No, I'm sorry, it's only for white people,'" she told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
"I have not paraphrased, I haven't misconstrued, it wasn't lost in translation... it was an exact statement," she said.
Copyright, Blaise APLOGAN, 2010,© Bienvenu sur Babilown
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