Ayman Jarrah, Discrimination, Texas, 2024

Justice is being served at a Houston bar, where the owners are facing allegations of discrimination. The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Ayman Jarrah and his company, Land Guardian Inc., the operators of 360 Midtown, a bar and nightclub in Houston, Texas.

The lawsuit alleges that Jarrah and Land Guardian Inc. discriminated against African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American patrons at 360 Midtown by charging them a cover charge to enter the establishment, while not imposing such a charge on similarly situated white persons, and denying them the right to enter the establishment while admitting similarly situated white patrons.

‘When going out to eat at a restaurant or relaxing at bar, no one should ever suffer discrimination because of the color of their skin,’ said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

‘A bar’s cover charge based on skin color is prohibited by law,’ said U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas. ‘All places of public accommodation should treat their customers equally. If not, justice will be sought in our courts of law.’

Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, such as restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, nightclubs, stadiums and other places of exhibition or entertainment.

According to the Justice Department, Title II does not authorize the division to obtain monetary damages for customers who are victims of discrimination. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.

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