Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – D.C. restaurants are taking a stand against white supremacy ahead of the Unite the Right rally Sunday.
Proper 21 on F Street NW will not allow anyone with oppressive views or affiliations into its restaurant Sunday according to managing director Steve Forbes.
“They don’t represent our restaurant, and we care about our staff, and we care about our patrons, and we’re gonna ask them not to come in” Forbes said.
When asked how the restaurant would know whether someone was a white supremacist, Forbes said members of that group are usually very public about it. But he added they wouldn’t be able to tell if the person kept quiet about it and kept to themselves. In that case, he said they would be a welcome.
Another restaurant near Lafayette Square – where the rally will take place – is taking a different approach. Lincoln on Vermont Avenue NW decided to close after Sunday brunch according to general manager Robert Hall.
Hall said the decision was made based on a number of reasons including concerns that employees would have a difficult time getting to and from work during the rally, few reservations and the lack of desire to serve people based on their political views.
“We don’t want to be in a position of saying, ‘We don’t want to serve you,’ or ‘ You are not welcome here.’ That’s just not what we are about,” Hall said.
The restaurant will fly its gay pride flag and has also posted a statement on the door affirming its values, which can be seen in full above.
The statement concludes with the line, “Hatred has no welcome solace here.”
The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s general counsel – the Veritas Law Firm – told the association refusing service is generally permitted under the law if restaurants feel people’s presence or activities threaten another person.
RAMW’s member services director and policy advisor Eden Raskin Jenkins passed the information along to local restaurants in an email. Jenkins reminded restaurant owners that the law does not allow them to refuse service based on race, sex or political affiliation.
“However, a choice not to host a fringe ideological group likely would not violate the DC Human Rights Act’s prohibition on discrimination,” Jenkins wrote.
You can see the full text of the letter below:
Dear RAMW Members,
On Sunday, August 12th there will be a Unite the Right rally led by white nationalists at Lafayette Park in DC. As a restaurant operator, we want to alert you of happenings in our area as well as remind you of your rights, and encourage you to have procedures in place for emergency and safety situations.
In 2017, we hosted a Pre-Inauguration Safety Training and want to share the toolkit distributed as it contains pertinent safety information as well as outlines your rights as a business owner. Click here for the toolkit.
Right to Refuse Service
We are not able to provide legal advice or suggestions on how to operate your business. Instead we are providing you with helpful resources regarding business operations. According to The Veritas Law Firm, the law generally permits a restaurant or tavern to refuse service to an individual or group of individuals. It is important to note, you are not able to refuse service based on discriminatory reasons against protected classes (such as race, sex, or political affiliation). However, a choice not to host a fringe ideological group likely would not violate the DC Human Rights Act’s prohibition on discrimination.
The DC Human Rights Act also has an exception for unintentional discrimination based on business necessity. It can be argued that the duty of a restaurant or tavern to maintain a safe establishment requires prohibiting members of a fringe ideological group entry due to the potential risk of danger or violence.
For more information see page 2 of the toolkit.
Logistics of the March
The protesters plan to gather at the Vienna Metro Station at 2pm and will likely take the metro to Foggy Bottom where they will march to Lafayette Park from 5-5:30pm. The rally at Lafayette Square is scheduled to take place between 5:30-7:30pm. There will be counter protests surrounding the rally and the expected turnout is unknown with possible counter protests throughout the city. At last year’s Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA a counter protester was tragically killed. We advise everyone to take caution this weekend.
Have a Plan
The safety of you and your guests are of utmost importance. We encourange everyone to take time to speak with their staff and to make sure you have safety plans in place. For more information on possible plans and helpful resources when putting together safety plans see page 5 of the toolkit.
Best,
Eden
Copyright 2018 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (Photo: Lincoln)
