Washington DC restaurant accused of dress-code racism changes no sneakers policy

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Independent


A bouncer at popular El Centro DF restaurant denied Brian Gordon entry because he was wearing sneakers – but friends saw a group of white men wearing the same style shoes inside

Maura Judkis 5 hours ago

Yesha Callahan was waiting for her friend Brian Gordon to join her at the popular Washington restaurant El Centro DF. It was the Saturday before Christmas, another friend of Callahan’s was tending the bar, and it was around 10:30 at night, the point in the evening when the restaurant gives way to a nightclub and the music is turned up. Only a handful of people were there. There was no one in line.

But Gordon was denied entry, he says he was told, because he was wearing sneakers, which the restaurant’s dress code prohibits.

His shoes were leather Converse high tops. “They’re not like ratty, dirty sneakers,” said Gordon. “They’re brand new, they’re leather. They were clean, fresh, white. It’s not like I showed up in five-year-old Chucks.”

Downstairs, Callahan’s group of friends got a text from Gordon, who is black, telling them he was turned away because of his shoes. Callahan looked over at the bar as a group of white men walked in and noticed what they were wearing. “They all have sneakers on,” said Callahan. “One guy had the same sneakers style that [Gordon] had.”

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/el-centro-no-sneakers-rule-dress-code-racism-black-change-washington-dc-brian-gordon-yesha-callahan-a8131906.html

[Faux pas]

1. Kickin' with disgust

close them down!

[dalton99a]

2. A long-time pattern and not an isolated incident:

Allegations of sneakers-based discrimination appear to have been an issue at El Centro for years, according to reviews on Yelp. “My husband was not allowed in because he was wearing sneakers,” said a review from 2015. “While I respect an establishment’s dress code, what I could not understand was why the next white male in line wearing sneakers (and several others) was allowed to enter the restaurant. After we challenged this decision, the bouncer tried to act like ‘it was not his call;’ to which my husband replied, ‘Why does this other guy get to go in? Is it because he’s not black?’ “

Also:
https://www.theroot.com/d-c-s-el-centro-d-f-restaurant-removes-no-sneaker-pol-1821560972

[marble falls]

3. Just because a policy isn't specifically racist, it doesn't mean the policy isn't racist....

Racist enforcement of a policy is part and parcel of the policy.

[Iggo]

5. Exactly. (n/t)

[IronLionZion]

4. Chocolate city has a shocking amount of open racism

People boast of their white privilege here because they love the benefits. Blonde women brag about getting away with things that would get a different type of person shot. It's completely insane.

[marble falls]

10. I never felt "out numbered" or "out of place" in DC. But at the same time I knew I never ever really

had my finger on the pulse of the city. I believe my white privilege had more mojo in DC than other places. Its not a good thing that we can be so interlocked and separate at the same time time.

[IronLionZion]

11. A tourist would have a difference experience than someone living and working here

There's tension around jobs, schools, housing, gentrification, and what sort of person looks like they don't belong vs who does. I've seen white entitlement so many times it's not even worth pointing it out to people that it's wrong to cut in line for things. I do constantly have to remind people that brown people can hold security clearances too.

[marble falls]

13. Plainly said: some of us are arrogant in our ignorance. I am embarrassed at the way people who look...

me treat everybody else.

[oberliner]

6. The restaurant fired the bouncer and changed the policy

Updated Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017, 6 a.m. EST: Days after a black man, Brian Gordon, was denied entry to Richard Sandoval’s El Centro D.F. restaurant in Washington, D.C., because he was wearing sneakers, even though white patrons wearing sneakers were allowed entry, Ayyaz Rashid, managing partner of the Sandoval Restaurant Group, informed The Root that the bouncer who denied Gordon entry has been fired. In addition to firing the racist bouncer, the restaurant has removed its “no sneaker” policy.

“The security in question has been relieved of his duties and will no longer be working at the venue. Furthermore, there will be no dress code applied anymore at all. Not to stop there, I am scheduling a training workshop for the rest of the team to make sure such incidents may never happen again,” Rashid stated.

https://www.theroot.com/d-c-s-el-centro-d-f-restaurant-removes-no-sneaker-pol-1821560972

[Mosby]

7. is this "Important news of national interest..."?

I don't think it is, but what the hell.

[getagrip_already]

8. i'm not from dc...

but I'm still interested fwiw......

[LanternWaste]

9. You can alert the post as to its inappropriate forum locations if sincere.

You can alert the post as to its inappropriate forum locations if sincere. Or you can simply say it's not relevant, and fail to allow any reasons as to why.

[Skittles]

12. I am in Texas and it interests me