Martin Hyde Biography
Martin Hyde is a Florida Republican politician and businessman. Sarasota City Commission candidate Martin Hyde appears to have been banned from Sarasota’s Bath & Racquet Club after a confrontation with some young Puerto Rican tennis players who allege Hyde made a racist comment.
Martin Hyde Early Life
Hyde is British and moved to the Sarasota area more than 20 years ago. According to his campaign website, Hyde briefly played professional football in his native United Kingdom. He played as a goalkeeper for Brighton and Hove Albion from 1982 to 1983 and for Southhampton F.C. from 1983 to 1984.
Martin Hyde Education, Career
Hyde attended St. Joseph’s College in London and was a sales manager and general manager at Copyforce Limited in London from 1984 to 1999, when he moved to Sarasota. In Florida, Hyde became the owner of Gulf Business Systems.
According to its website, Gulf Business Systems, “is a complete service provider of a wide variety of document solutions. We have multifunction printers, copiers, printers, scanners, large format printers, commercial applications and industry-specific solutions. ”
Martin Hyde Children
Hyde is the father of four sons. His youngest son is in elementary school, while his oldest son is a sheriff’s deputy in Sarasota, according to his campaign website.
Martin Hyde Racist Comment
Menor boricua jugador de tenis fue expulsado de las facilidades de Celsius Tennis Academy por hablar español. Participaba del Casely International Championship en Sarasota, Fla. El el video un hombre blanco lo saca de las facilidades y saca en cara su poder económico. Denúncialo. pic.twitter.com/Q6PruytFnD
— Alvin Couto de Jesús (@alvinrcouto) November 29, 2019
Hyde allegedly told at least one Hispanic player to mow the lawn. The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 26 at the Sarasota Bath & Racquet Club, reports the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. On Friday, Alvin R Couto de Jesus posted on Facebook a video of the incident involving Hyde and Sergio Dilan, a junior tennis player who was at the Sarasota club for a tournament.
According to Dilan and Cuoto de Jesús, Hyde yelled at Dilan for speaking Spanish and told him to leave the club. The original confrontation was not videotaped. He is also accused of telling Dilan and other Hispanic teenagers to “mow the lawn.” Hyde seemed to admit using that phrase in the video, but has since denied it. He has also denied being racist.
Worth noting that GOP candidate Martin Hyde is from the UK while these Puerto Rican players were born U.S. citizens. The arrogance and privilege displayed here is disgusting, yet endemic. Boricuas on the mainland, especially Florida, need to show up in 2020. https://t.co/XgVwf9EI9h
— Sara Toussaint (@SaraToussaint) November 30, 2019
Martin Hyde Racquet Club
The incident occurred at the Sarasota Bath & Racquet Club while Martin Hyde was there when his son received a tennis class. Hyde is accused of racism in an incident with Puerto Rican tennis player Sergio Dilan, who was in the club for the Casely International Championship. Hyde told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune that a group of young tennis players were talking loudly near a field where their son and his son’s friend were receiving a lesson. Hyde said he faced them after they didn’t listen to an instructor who asked them to shut up.
UPDATE: Florida man running for city commission in Sarasota tells local newspaper he plans to withdraw from race after being accused of racist rant against Puerto Rican tennis players. He denies saying anything racist, despite group of boys saying he did https://t.co/CtHPkTJwsD
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) November 30, 2019