WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) — The U.S. Department of Justice announced Feb. 1 that Ayman Jarrah and Land Guardian Inc., the owners and operators of a sports bar and lounge located in Houston called 360 Midtown, will settle allegations of discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin.
“This settlement resolves serious allegations of racial discrimination,” said U.S. attorney Ryan K. Patrick in a statement. “The announcement today should make clear that any such illegal bias in these types of establishments will not be tolerated in this district and reflects my office’s continued commitment to vigorously enforcing our nation’s civil rights laws.”
According to the Justice Department, 360 Midtown, which previously operated as Gaslamp, conducted a business pattern involving discriminatory practices that dissuaded African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American patrons from entering the bar. The Justice Department claims that the defendants would impose cover charges against minority patrons, as well as force them to adhere to a particular dress code.
“No individuals should be denied admission to any place of public accommodation because of the color of their skin,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in a statement. “The Justice Department will continue to protect the rights of all persons to be free from discrimination on the basis of their race or national origin at bars, restaurants and other places of public accommodation.”