Raleigh, N.C. — Accusations of racial discrimination at The Downtown Sports Bar and Grill in Raleigh continue to spark strong opinions, especially among people who've been there.
One day after Jonathan Wall, a 21-year-old black patron, told the media that he was thrown out of the Glenwood Avenue establishment, other patrons shared stories of similar mistreatment, while others painted a different picture.
“What raised an eyebrow was it happened to me and it happened to him (Wall). Who else is it happening to?” said Terrel Hopson.
Hopson and his co-worker, Richard Meador, say they were at a business dinner on Glenwood Avenue in December. After dinner, they went to Downtown Sports Bar and Grill. Everyone in the group was white, except Hopson, who is black. They say he was turned away because his sweater was too long.
“Meanwhile, we see other people go into this establishment with flip flops (and jeans and shirts with holes),” Hopson said, adding that he was eventually told he could enter if he tucked in his sweater.
“It floored me that any establishment, any company in Wake County could survive with that type of callousness,” Meador added.
Wall's account of being thrown out of the bar because he is black has generated similar claims of discrimination on social media. Others, though, are defending the bar.
One man, who did not want to be identified, says he goes to Downtown Sports Bar three or four times a week and sees a diverse mix of people.
“It’s laid back, easy going. I mean, I don’t see (any) problems,” the man said.
Downtown Raleigh nightlife photos, shot by LazyDay.com and featured on WRAL.com, do show diverse crowds inside the bar.
“Like anywhere you go, you’re going to have problems no matter where you’re at. It’s how people take it,” the man said.
Hopson says there was only one way for him to take what happened that night in December.
“I was refused because of (my) color and fabric,” he said.
William Potter, an attorney for Downtown Sports Bar, continued Saturday to deny any discrimination at the bar.
"On any Friday night, 20 to 30 percent of the membership at the bar are racial minorities. Any suggestion the business is racist is foolish,” he said.
Potter said he wasn't familiar with Hopson's claims. As for Wall, he again reiterated Wall took advantage of a crowded door situation last weekend after being told he could not enter without being a member or the guest of a member.



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That is as discriminating a statement as I have ever read on WRAL. Who are you to say whether this guy has more integrity than any bar owner or bouncer in downtown Raleigh. You are an arrogant racist, bigot. Just because someone does well in school and goes to Harvard does not make them of high integrity or better than anyone else. What you wrote was classless at best.
June 27, 2012 11:25 a.m.
June 27, 2012 11:10 a.m.
I agree! If the law is not being enforced properly that is an issue, but it doesn't excuse Mr. Wall from breaking the law when it is enforced properly.
It would be like trying to argue with a police officer that it was ok for you to speed because he didn't see or catch the other speeders. It doesn't make any sense.
June 27, 2012 10:31 a.m.
The count of black people in the club is irrelevant to "management" policies.
June 27, 2012 9:33 a.m.
If you visited the bar 50 times did you see any mistreatment of people? If so, why did you continue to go back and why didn't you do anything about it. If not then you have no arguement.
As for disabled vet; it is your opinion that it was race related, but you have yet to answer the question as to how that is possible with the pictures showing a largely diversified crowd in the bar including the same race as this tresspasser.
By the way, tresspassing charges do not have to be filed for tresspassing to have occured and once again what you say you experience at other places on Glenwood is completely irrelevant here. The courts go case by case and I suggest you do the same. And Todd is not my boy as you claim.
issymayake
Your assertion about the manager not fact. The doormen were in the video and why can't you trust your own eyes when you see the diversified clientele in the bar in the pictures.
Race Card Fraud
June 26, 2012 5:13 p.m.