Restaurants in downtown Washington, D.C., are taking precautions for the "Unite the Right 2" white supremacist rally planned for Sunday, with some planning to close for the weekend and others educating their staffs on handling difficult customers.
After last year's event in Charlottesville, Virginia, ended up in violence that resulted in the death of one counter-protester, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington is working with restaurants to help them know how to respond legally to situations, reports The Washingtonian.
However, Founding Farmers restaurant owner Dan Simons told the website that his workers are "nervous" and afraid to use public transportation. He's treating the rally like a weather emergency, and letting workers stay home if they wish. He also plans to refuse service to any person harassing employees or wearing white nationalist or Nazi symbols or attire.
At Equinox, also near the White House, owners Ellen Kassoff Gray and chef Todd Gray say they've never closed during protests, but expect business to suffer this weekend.
"I'll proudly stay open and serve those who're respectful and kind," Kassoff Gray told The Washingtonian. "But being a Jewish restaurant owner and having a pro-Nazi group come to town, would I refuse service? Yes, I would."
Meanwhile, Alan Popovsky, who owns several restaurants with president themes in D.C., said he plans to serve Sunday brunch at his restaurant, Lincoln, and then close for dinner, after his staff said they were worried about their safety.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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