The owners of a San Francisco restaurant have apologized for denying service to three police officers over the weekend because their weapons made their staff 'uncomfortable.' The owners of Hilda and Jesse Restaurant apologized in a social media post published Sunday following an outcry and calls to boycott the eatery because the officers were asked to leave shortly after they sat down Friday. The restaurant owners initially explained in a Saturday posting that the officers were politely asked to leave, but the explanation only served to make things worse. The Hilda and Jesse restaurant on Union Street in San Francisco is pictured The owners, Rachel Sillcocks, left, and Kristina Compton, right, have apologized for denying service to three police officers because their weapons made their staff 'uncomfortable' The owners of Hilda and Jesse Restaurant explained their reasons for asking the police officers to leave, namely that they made other diners in the restaurant feel uncomfortable The co-owners further apologized in a second social media posting for asking the officers to leave shortly after they had sat down after an outcry in social media and calls to boycott the eatery The interior of Hilda and Jesse, designated a 'safe space' by it's owners is pictured above 'Our restaurant is a safe space - particularly for queer and biopic individuals. Furthermore, the fact that they were in uniform with multiple weapons on them made our staff uncomfortable, and potentially other guests, so they were asked to leave,' the restaurant explained. The officers would be welcome back to the restaurant in North Beach when they were off duty, out of uniform and without their weapons, the post added. 'We would happily welcome them off duty, out of uniform and without weapons. We're sorry that the decision upset. We understand your perspective and we hope you'll consider ours.' But on Sunday, a second apology was made on the restaurant's Instagram page where Rachel Sillcocks and Kristina Liegas, the co-owners of the venue, admitted they got things wrong. 'We made a mistake and apologize for the unfortunate incident on Friday when we asked members of the San Francisco Police Department to leave our restaurant. We are grateful to all members of the force who work hard to keep us safe, especially during these challenging times,' the post read. 'We hope this will be a teachable moment for us as we repair and continue to build bridges with the SFPD. These are stressful times and we handled this badly,' they added,' the statement continued. Despite the restaurant's apology, the damage had already been done and angry social media users took to Yelp to post a series of one-star reviews But the damage had already been done and angry social media users took to Yelp to post a series of one-star reviews. 'I would not support or recommend a San Francisco business that discriminates against the SFPD. Shame on you!!!May the eggs of a Thousand Cockroach's hatch and infest your kitchen. I hope the Health Department Shuts you down....,' wrote one user. 'I would NEVER give you a penny of my money or a second of my time. How dare you asked SF police to leave! How about buying their meal and having a constructive discussion about life as a police officer and how best to work together to make it a safer world for all......' added another. 'I love SF. Love North Beach. Hate discrimination of any kind, especially if it is targeting first responders. Terrible decision that may end up "cancelling" this place right out of business. Will not patronize this place when I visit next. Oh, and will definitely spread the word!,' states another disgruntled Yelp user San Francisco has seen a dramatic increase in crime rates across the board, particularly in larceny thefts On Saturday, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott tweeted about the incident and said his department encourages officers to support local businesses and get to know members of the community. 'Community engagement is a core principle of SFPD's 21st century police reforms, and we are intentional about asking our officers to support local businesses and get to know those they're sworn to safeguard. 'The San Francisco Police Department stands for safety with respect, even when it means respecting wishes that our officers and I find discouraging and personally disappointing,' Chief Scott tweeted. 'I believe the vast majority of San Franciscans welcome their police officers, who deserve to know that they are appreciated for the difficult job we ask them to do — in their uniforms — to keep our neighborhoods and businesses safe. On Saturday, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott tweeted about the incident and said his department encourages officers to support local businesses and get to know members of the community 'The San Francisco Police Department stands for safety with respect, even when it means respecting wishes that our officers and I find discouraging and personally disappointing,' Chief Scott tweeted The San Francisco Bay Area has been experiencing a dramatic rise in crime across the board. November's crime figures reported a 7.8% increase in incidents of arson, a 9.3% increase in homicides, 8.7% in assaults and a 13.4% rise in larceny thefts. The area has most recently experienced a spate of 'smash-and-grab' incidents,' with incidents of 'organized crime' seeing dozens of crooks ransacking department stores. Aside from the organized crime rings, the growing problem has been attributed to police officers' apparent reluctance to pursue retail criminals in the current political climate, prosecutors' failure to prioritize larceny and theft, and the decriminalization of low-level offenses in some jurisdictions. All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility