Tommy Robinson asked to leave a restaurant because staff felt uncomfortable serving him…

[harriethoyle]

… AIBU to enjoy this?!

If you spout objectionable views, don’t be surprised if people object to you!

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/tommy-robinson-kicked-out-hawksmoor-london-b1231594.html

And James May🤣🤣🤣

Who are you to say an ethnic minority was being disingenuous regarding potential racism?

The odds of animal rights activists wanting to go to a London steak restaurant are fairly low.

😆 🤣 😂 😹 and Hammond. Difference is, Clarkson has a sense of humour. No wonder he's another one who's hated on MN.

The supreme court ruled they didn’t have to bake the cake so that’s not really backing up your comment.

I agree.

I can’t stand the man but as long as he wasn’t behaving badly in the restaurant it’s a bloody slippery slope towards staff getting to treat a business venture as their personal “safe space” (aka where only people who share the same views are permitted).

Reminiscent of Hatchet publishing where staff wrote an open letter wanting mgt to stop publishing books by gender critical authors.

I agree.

I remember what Michael Jordan supposedly said when he was asked why he wasn't more active in promoting and supporting left wing and democratic causes.

Apparently he said: "Republicans buy sneakers too".

He's a lot more savvy than the staff of this restaurant

Service providers shouldn't pick and choose on someone's beliefs and political views

Love it 👏 👏

Private businesses can refuse service to people and ask them to leave as long at the grounds are not based on a protected characteristic, i.e race,, religion, age etc. However, people who cause are in danger of causing disruption to the establishment can be asked to leave. In this case the staff, and perhaps other patrons were uncomfortable which is a disruption, based on his view on minorities and a person not in keeping with an establishment's values.

Maybe the restaurant are doing well enough that they don't feel the need to try to corner the far-right thug market? I'm sure they're well aware that football hooligans and racists eat steak too but perhaps they figure they'll manage to stay afloat if the TR supporters take their custom elsewhere.

Is it illegal to refuse service? Nope. You don’t have to take someone’s business if you do t want to deal with them. I think the more people refuse to engage with the horrible scrote the better.

🥱

he should eat in a greasy spoon cafeteria

Do you mean people who eat in greasy spoons will be more comfortable with eating with Tommy Robinson and are more likely to vote Reform than those, like you, who might eat a ‘very expensive dinner’ in ‘one of the best steak restaurants in London’? That’s a pretty classist view. I don’t think your propensity to prejudice is actually dependant on your bank balance.

I have the intelligence to be able to discern when someone is being disingenuous. Given the context of the incident, a table full of far right activists and criminals, it's obvious why they were refused service. It's hardly likely that they'd refuse to serve racists because of racism. But you don't need that explained.

Wtf? Seriously?

I am no fan of his, but this does seem a bit outside of the remit of a restaurant (unless he was behaving badly).

He has been in jail but is now free. People who have served time are allowed in restaurants. Does this open the door for restaurants to chuck people out for being a defence barrister, for example?

I know almost nothing really about TR, but he’s sitting at a table with someone with brown skin and being chucked out for being racist. Something is weird.

Hahahaha

Back in the noughties, we discovered that the pub we'd been using for post-work drinks was hiring out their upstairs room to the BNP every few week. So we found somewhere else to drink, and called them to politely let them know they'd lost our custom - because it would been a futile gesture otherwise. Restaurants survive on reputation; food, service, ambience and fellow clientele all pay a part in that.
If you can be refused service at the Ritz for not wearing a tie, I don't see why you can't be refused service in a steakhouse for being an unrepentant far-right extremist with convictions for:

• assault
• public order offences
• mortgage fraud
• using a false passport
• stalking
• contempt of court

He's also currently on trial for harassment causing fear of violence. He was refused service because of his record going back many years of really shitty behaviour. It is not at all the same thing as barring someone for their religious beliefs, or because they vote for a party you don't support.

There is right to withdraw your labour as fought for by the unions.

I don't think you're doing the cause for fighting racism any good. So an alleged racist can't be the subject of racism now? As for the context of the incident, the restaurant took the line of least resistance. That didn't stop the gentleman having the right to ask if his party was being asked to leave because of his skin colour. You either do or don't get to speak on behalf of ethnic minority groups. I will answer it for you, you don't.

Good on the staff here. No one should be forced to serve a racist.

It's not about free speech. If I insult your mum, do you have a right not to serve me in a restaurant? Of course you do, because that is abusive behaviour. This racist hates anyone with a different skin colour and religion, and even white people from other European countries. Why should serving staff who may fall into those categories (or have friends and family who do) serve him? He is abusive and they gave a right not to tolerate abuse.

🤣🤣🤣 Very funny. Almost took you seriously at first read!

And someone who complained about a £24 pie ! Hawksmoor will do well from this - a lot of Tomees fan base would struggle coppering up for a happy meal - doubly so if they have dug deep for a griftfunder campaign.

https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/jeremy-clarkson-pub-oxfordshire-b1231584.html

In what way is it a slippery slope?

Private business have always, subject only to limited exceptions, been able to refuse service to potential customers on the basis of the potential customer's views or personal history. It doesn't happen all that often because it usually isnt good for business, but if the slope was all that slippery, why haven't we slid further down it over the past centuries?

Yes and discrimination along these lines seems to be being encouraged by some on here including the OP.