TAMPA, Fla — Protestors came out to Old City Hall Monday morning to support local bars in jeopardy of having their alcohol permits suspended.
The protest comes as Tampa City Council continues its special call meeting to review if more bars should have their alcohol permits suspended for not following COVID-19 guidelines.
Code enforcement officers say the bars repeatedly broke the city's mask mandate and social distancing requirements. However, protest organizers feel it is "outrageous and completely unacceptable for city council members to destroy these businesses for those reasons," according to a Facebook post with protest details.
The post by Christine Quinn called for people to bring their "American flags and posters" and gather for a "peaceful protest" outside of Old City Hall Monday morning.
"Enough is enough! It is time that WE THE PEOPLE rise up and protect our local businesses from unconstitutional government overreach from our very own Tampa City Council," Quinn said in the "call to action" post.
Public hearings are being held Monday for Purple Heart Bar, 7th+Grove, Ritz Ybor, and Prana Ybor.
During a hearing last Thursday, city council members recommended a three-day suspension in March for Tangra's alcohol permit. Ybor Cigars entered into an agreement admitting to the violations and accepting a similar three-day suspension starting this week. Also on Thursday, Tampa’s city council voted to suspend Ybor Nightclub’s alcohol permit for three days.
MacDinton’s Irish Pub was also ordered to be at the Thursday hearing, but attorney's representing it claimed they had not been properly noticed, so their case was pushed to March 8.
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