Calls for investigation into police after El Paso restaurant ejects two men for kissing
Published: July 10, 2009
Updated 4 months ago
Gay-rights proponents protested outside a Chico’s Tacos restaurant in El Paso, TX, on Friday after media reported that five men were ejected from the restaurant because two of them were seen kissing.
The American Civil Liberties Union has called for an investigation into the El Paso Police Department over its handling of the situation.
According to the El Paso Times, in the early morning hours of June 29 police responded to a call to a Chico’s Tacos restaurant in El Paso after security guards at the eatery ordered five men to leave the premises after two of them were seen kissing.
The restaurant patrons allege one of the security guards told them the restaurant didn’t allow “that faggot stuff” on the premises.
Under El Paso by-laws, it is illegal for restaurants to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, the ACLU says.
But, instead of enforcing the by-law, police allegedly threatened the restaurant patrons with a citation for “homosexual activity.”
According to the local Fox affiliate, police cited “a Texas law banning homosexual activity,” but “the law, however, has been struck down by the Supreme Court and is not enforced.”
“Police reportedly told the men that same-sex kissing was forbidden in public,” the ACLU stated.
“We’re extremely concerned that the actions of the restaurant employees and the El Paso police may have violated the law,” ACLU of Texas legal director Lisa Graybill said in a statement. “The City of El Paso prohibits restaurants from refusing service to anyone based on their sexual orientation, and the police should have enforced that ordinance.”
On Friday, protesters demonstrated outside the Chico’s Tacos location for the second day in a row, the local ABC affiliate reports.
Carlos Diaz de Leon, one of the men involved in the altercation, has filed a complaint with the El Paso police. ABC reports that he has been the subject of hate calls since the story broke in El Paso over the past few days.
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The old classic sign that bigot/fascists use to display in their establishments to kick out “longhairs”, blacks and others: “WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE,” well,shit-kickers, where was it? No need to post it now, they just hire “Blackwater” pigs to do their deeds. At least you can use the old line,” Get a room!.” One must watch out, though, the fucking texans have a law that they can just shoot you for saying something that pisses them off.
In the wake of politicians who routinely put brutality before law, police increasingly feel free to ignore law in favor of their base prejudices. Marvelous.
None of “that faggot stuff,” but fascist stuff is two for one!
It may be 2009 but bigotry & homopbobia live on in the good ‘ol US of A especially dan’ in Texas. We’ve really become a lawless nation (well a police State, really) where the cops make the rules and do largely as they please. God knows there are rarely any consequences after the damage has been done. These poor guys were just trying to show affection like any straight folks would do. What a bunck of thugs! Sometimes I think I’d like to move to a more accepting nation …”O Canada”
Fear of public affection is included in police training. Any form of euphoria displayed publicly is a threat to national security and is dealt with harshly. Their job should be redefined.
jhoffax: God Damn man. Calm down! Why is it that homosexuality is the one sin that you Jesus Jumpers are most afraid of. I think thay most of you are latent homos Holding on to your delusion of heterosexuality by your fingernails. I think that Christians are a bunch of people , just barely able control their compulsions, whether they be pedophilia, homosexuality, wife beating, sexual addiction with whores,control issues, compulsive lying, cheating stealing ,or whatever. You have all grouped together telling that these compulsions are normal, “We are all sinners”. Let go of your denial and delusions and your compulsions will go away. If you are dealing with an unquenchable lust for ,children or rape, or hurting people, get help! When was the last time that a Homosexual, “shoved his perversion down your throat”? It really sounds like you would really like for someone to shove his manhood (perversion) down your throat, or up your butt. You dost protest too much. Heterosexually yours, Attila
That latent homo shit is like calling John Stewart a “self loathing jew”. It is stoopid.
um, not really. Jon Stewart is a f’n comedian… Hardly comparable to a self righteous and willfully ignorant bigot-Christian (redundant, I know.)
Haters:
Do you think people would opt to be homosexual? Knowing the vitriol and insane discrimination they have to go through, they would still be gay? This is not a new “trend” from the 21st century. Get a grip and deal with it. Your moronic epithets only portray you as backward, uneducated lowlifes, and your comments are outrageous.
Holy Shit! RS has been overrun with a bunch of Xian Perverts! When did this take place?
What a bunch of hypocrites. If these ugly boy faggots were pretty girl faggots, you would encourage their sexy smooching instead of calling the cops. And what kind of pussy calls the police to rescue them from kissing patrons?
Jhoffax….what the hell happened to you in your life that you’ve turned out to be such an angry, self hating, miserable, low self esteem asswipe loser. What ……. no one would fuck you male or female ….or maybe you got it from behind by your dad.
just curious natalie do you prefer the name cunt or bitch when being addressed?
When being addressed by you, any pinhead response is fine.
What did you have to say?
I smell a lawsuit against the restaurant and the city. The two men who got thrown out might also want watch their backs. It would be very easy for the El Paso police pull them over and both would end up dead resisting arrest.
Oh my.. Look at them defend the Church of Some Other Guy’s Asshole! (COSOGA)
The zealotry and shoddy thinking puts even the Scientologists to shame!
I suppose this is to be expected when RELIGIOUS ISSUES (Read: Anus Worship) are discussed in a political forum.
huh?
Wowie, those El Paso PO-LICE sound like a bunch of WUSSY, JEALOUS
fairy wannabe’s!
Cops with “disappointed” glory holes. I love it.
They’re so immature, they’re absolutely hilarious. Hahahahaaaaaaaa…hahahahaaaaaa…
Isn’t there a Spongebob coloring book you’re neglecting?
oops derogatory.