SF: HRC FINDS AS FACT GAY BAR OWNER’S MULTIPLE CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

April 26, 2005 - 04:27pm [US West] Business Contact: Don Romesburg
415.850.8580
donromesburg [at] earthlink.net

HRC FINDS AS FACT GAY BAR OWNER’S MULTIPLE CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

HISTORIC VICTORY FOR INCLUSION

PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY AT 6 PM AT HARVEY MILK PLAZA

April 26, 2005 — Following an exhaustive ten-month investigation, the San Francisco Human Rights Commission has forcefully concluded that Les Natali, owner of one the city’s most popular gay bars, has violated numerous civil rights ordinances in his discriminatory practices in employment and patronage against people of color. And Castro For All (AC4A) hails the HRC finding as a definitive validation of the testimonies of dozens of former patrons, employees and organizations who have courageously come forward over the past four years with experiences of discrimination at the hands of Natali and his staff. AC4A will publicly release and discuss the findings as well as announcing next steps at a media conference tonight, Tuesday, April 26, at 6:00 pm at Harvey Milk Plaza (Market and Castro).

The finding begins as follows:

In the matter of Derek Turner, Michael Wyllis, et al v. SF Badlands, the Human Rights Commission finds that Respondent violated Article 33 of the San Francisco Police Code by discriminating in employment and public accommodation on the basis of race.

After interviewing nearly sixty people over the past ten months, the HRC also found as fact: · an inconsistent door policy illegally requiring multiple forms of I.D. from some African Americans · Natali referred to African Americans as “non-Badlands customers” who should be discouraged from patronage · Natali unfairly denied entry to African Americans “through the use of a ‘No Bag’ policy that was rarely enforced against white patrons
· Natali selectively applied a dress code to African American patrons · Natali’s “hiring practices . . . were discriminatory towards African Americans” · Natali “discriminated against an African American woman when she was ejected for the bar for pretextual and unjustified reasons”

“The HRC finding of fact gives all of us a tremendous opportunity to ensure the fullest accountability for Natali’s blatant discrimination,” said And Castro For All organizer Daniel Frattin. “LGBT community and city and state agencies should seek the fullest possible recourse so that this can never happen again.”

PRESS CONFERENCE TONIGHT
WHEN: 6 PM
WHERE: Harvey Milk Plaza (Castro and Market) WHY: AC4A will discuss findings and future actions

And Castro For All is a new initiative seeking to build sustainable efforts toward greater inclusion and diversity in the Castro and in San Francisco’s LGBT community more generally. Our three goals are accountability for discrimination, recourse when it occurs, and dialogue to bring about genuine growth. For more information, visit our website: http://www.andcastroforall.com <http://www.andcastroforall.com/ >.