Gay kiss – then the boot
A man claims he was kicked out of a popular Christchurch pub for kissing another man on the dance floor.
However, the bar owner said he did not tolerate homophobic behaviour by staff and understood there were other reasons for the customer’s removal.
Ed Lang, 29, was having drinks with friends at Fat Eddie’s in the central city on Saturday night when they were asked by a security guard to leave.
According to Lang, they arrived about 11pm, had a few drinks and made their way to the dance floor about 12.30am.
‘‘We had a kiss there. It was nothing big and it certainly was no different to what many straight people around us were doing,’’ he said.
Lang said a security guard tapped him on the shoulder and gestured to him to follow him to the door. The guard told them they had to leave. His friend obliged, but Lang wanted to know why they were being removed.
‘‘I asked if I was being kicked out because I was kissing a guy. He got aggressive at that point, grabbed my arm and pushed me out the door.’’
Lang said their level of intoxication was similar to that of the surrounding crowd.
‘‘I had had a few drinks, but I was nowhere near any level of needing intervention or having to be removed.’’
He described the incident as upsetting.
‘‘I want to see Christchurch hospitality do well ... but when I go out just like my straight mates, I don’t want to be the sole person who has to worry about what I am doing or sort of look over my shoulder whether I am going to be kicked out or not.’’
Fat Eddie’s owner Max Bremner denied the incident was motivated by homophobia and said he was ‘‘saddened’’ by the allegation.
Bremner said Lang was removed because of his ‘‘overzealous dancing [that] was disturbing others around him’’.
‘‘This was the one – and the only – reason the patron was asked to leave. We want people to have a great time [at Fat Eddie’s], but they have to do it safely and not make other people feel unsafe.’’
He said patrons’ perceptions of what occurred in crowded bars where alcohol was often involved did not always tally with the accounts provided by sober staff.
‘‘In these instances we are more than happy to review events and to sit down at a later date with the patron to explain what happened and why we took the action we did.’’
Lang said the only reason he can think of why he could have caused anyone any discomfort was because he was kissing a man rather than a woman.
After Lang lodged a complaint with Fat Eddie’s, he met Bremner and a representative from October Protection, the security company contracted by the club, yesterday morning.
Lang said Bremner was apologetic and reiterated their commitment to LGBT inclusion in their venues.
He said he was told the incident would be thoroughly investigated and the security guard involved interviewed.
‘‘It certainly was no different to what many straight people around us were doing.’’
Ed Lang