The EFF said it would lay a complaint of racial discrimination against Hank’s Olde Irish Pub in Bree Street, Cape Town. Image: Twitter/@EFFWesternCape_
WATCH: Hank’s Olde Irish accused of racist admission policy – EFF says pub is ‘closed until further notice’
A Cape Town pub is under fire for allegedly only allowing black patrons to enter if a white person accompanies them.
The EFF said it would lay a complaint of racial discrimination against Hank’s Olde Irish Pub in Bree Street, Cape Town. Image: Twitter/@EFFWesternCape_
A video of a man confronting the owner of Hank’s Old Irish Pub in Cape Town over an alleged racist incident at the Cape Town drinking establishment has gone viral on social media.
CAPE TOWN PUB ACCUSED OF RACISM
It is alleged that a black man was denied entry to the pub by a bouncer and told that he needed to be accompanied by a white person to enter.
In the video, the victim’s friend – a white man – confronts the owner of Hank’s and informs him that such a discriminatory admission policy is a crime.
The owner stammers and mumbles something about the right of admission policy. When he is given a chance to speak, he describes Hank’s as “eclectic” and says there’s not been a “race issue” in all their years of trading.
According to SABC News, Hank’s has issued a media statement in the wake of the viral video. They said they have never instructed staff to discriminate based on race.
The pub also said an internal investigation into the matter is underway, and an assault case has been opened against the alleged victim of racism and his friend who confronted the owner.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Western Cape paid a visit to the Bree Street pub on Sunday, 4 December.
The EFF described the incident as “blatant racism, criminalisation, racial profiling, degradation and reduction of black people to criminals and prisoners who must always be under watch.”
The political party said it would lay a racial discrimination complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and other institutions.
“We call for their trading licence to be taken away from them,” said the party. “In the meantime, we wish to notify the public that the Hank’s Olde Irish Pub at 110 Bree Street is currently closed until further notice.”
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