Restaurant, bar staffers harassed over vaccine rule

Abuse, threats from angry patrons force one owner to abandon dine-in services

A Calgary-area bar owner says abusive patrons opposed to COVID -19 vaccine passports have forced him to halt dine-in services.

Greg Thompson said threats and bullying directed at him and staff led him to abandon plans for regular operations at his Langdon Firehouse Bar & Grill in the town just east of Calgary.

He said his choice to screen customers for vaccination status under the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) that went into effect Monday led to withering abuse that left their physical safety in doubt.

“This past weekend we were overwhelmed with threats and bullying, both in person and online. This was directed to the ownership group and the staff,” Thompson posted to Facebook on Monday.

“We feel the safety of ourselves and our staff is at risk!”

Beginning Tuesday, the bar — well-known for its live music — will revert to takeout service only after announcing on Friday it would adopt the REP to operate virtually without restrictions.

Thompson said his decision was meant to ensure the survival of his business and the public's safety — intentions that don't deserve the hateful backlash.

“We have stayed in constant contact with the community and done everything we possibly can to not pick a side. We have always tried to do what is right for the community, our staff and this business,” he stated.

On Tuesday, Thompson said: “Moving ahead, we feel that we have addressed most of our concerns, but still need to address security to ensure the safety of our staff and patrons.”

Since he made the decision, which he says is temporary, Thompson said he's heard from other bars and restaurants fending off similar angry onslaughts, adding “this is not just a personal attack on the Firehouse, it's on the whole industry.”

Calgary pub owner Ernie Tsu also said vitriol is widespread in the industry and that his own business hasn't been immune.

“Of course we receive them daily,” said an angry Tsu, president of the Alberta Hospitality Association and owner of Trolley 5 Community Brewpub.

After the financial and psychological toll suffered by his industry during the pandemic, he said the bullying is particularly unacceptable, but called it a byproduct of the province's refusal to mandate vaccine passports, which leaves critics to target businesses, he said.

“I will not stand by and see any more people lost to mental-health issues losing everything they own, having to close their businesses,” he said.

“People should be going after their MLAS, not their local neighbours ... we just need to remind Albertans that it's either do the REP or close our doors.”

Mayor Naheed Nenshi has also been critical of the province's refusal to make the REP mandatory, saying it leaves businesses open to attack for having to make the choice to adopt the measure.

“It's cruel for those entrepreneurs who have been through so much,” he said last week.

“Why not just make it easy by saying, `You've got to be vaccinated to go to a restaurant.'”

The owner of Dickens Pub at 1000 9th Ave. S.W. echoed those sentiments, saying “the government has approached this in typical UCP style — backwards.”

Chris Hewitt said that, when he decided to require proof of vaccine three weeks ago, it was greeted with a torrent of online and phone bullying.

“The vast majority of our customers were delighted, but that vocal minority can be very vicious — it's unbelievable how harsh they can be,” he said, adding anger at the door has been minimal.

But, he said, that's since tailed off, adding with the vast majority of businesses opting for the REP, there's strength in numbers that will discourage the abuse.

“If we did it alone and (that abuse) didn't happen a whole lot, then it's not going to happen to every single place,” said Hewitt.

The Calgary Police Service said they haven't received any complaints about harassment from businesses.

The Calgary area is hardly alone in having those opposed to COVID-19 restrictions harassing businesses that enforce them.

Authorities in the southern Manitoba town of Winkler have expressed anger and frustration over the widespread targeting of restaurant owners, retailers and enforcement personnel.

“Overall, the animosity in this community that has emerged during this pandemic has been crippling to our integrity,” Winkler Police Service Chief Ryan Hunt said in a statement last weekend.

Hunt said some residents have also accused officials of not enforcing public health restrictions strictly enough, revealing a deep divide within his community.