Roughly 200 people gathered to protest a local gay bar in Pittsburgh for its “racist” dress code, which a worker reportedly told WPXI news channel was directly copied from nearby public schools.
Protesters shut down a heavily trafficked road in downtown Pittsburgh to protest 941 Saloon’s dress code, which was posted on the property’s windows, according to WPXI.
Out here in downtown Pittsburgh for @PGHCityPaper in front of 941 Saloon, where protesters from have gathered to voice their concerns about the bar dress code they consider to be racist.
“If we don’t drink, no one drinks!” pic.twitter.com/XmIQpXtSA3
— Jared Wickerham (@WickPhoto) June 24, 2020
The policy prohibits: tank tops, cutoffs, sleeveless shirts, hoodies, athletic jerseys without collars, bare midriffs, chained wallets, sweat pants, low hanging pants, exposed underwear, pajamas, gang related insignia, bananas worn on the head, and undershirts worn as shirts. It also requires patrons to wear pants at the waist and wear “neat and clean” attire.
Streets were blocked off by police for the protest, where people could be heard chanting “the dress code is racist,” according to WPXI. Protesters also claim the owner of the bar allegedly banned the word “racism” while inside.
@ArcadeComedy let the protesters run power for their speakers so that they could have performers during the protest. Those performers were ‘The Commission’ featuring Yo Johnson and Tausha Bonner-Johnson. @PGHCityPaper pic.twitter.com/MNWSBaaWtI
— Jared Wickerham (@WickPhoto) June 24, 2020
After gathering 20+ allies, the protesters attempted to enter the 941 Saloon, but they locked the door. @PGHCityPaper pic.twitter.com/aLC7dZ1RAE
— Jared Wickerham (@WickPhoto) June 24, 2020
But a worker at the bar told WPXI that she doesn’t know why people are protesting, and that the bar is all-inclusive and doesn’t discriminate. She also said the dress code was taken from Pittsburgh Public Schools.
The bar is listed among the gay bars on the LGBTQ portion of the Visit Pittsburgh’s website, and has been reportedly known as a gay bar throughout the community for years, according to the Tribune Review.
“Apparently it’s a gay bar for a certain group of people and not for everybody,” Devar Ferguson, an activist in the Black LGBTQ+ community told the Tribune Review. (RELATED: Gay Bar Apologizes For Flying ‘Blue Lives Matter’ Flag For Cops’ Meeting)