A young bartender at an Irish pub in Melbourne has been fired for standing up to a group of neo-nazi men, who threatened him with violence and allegedly extorted the pub for money.
An Irish barman and another worker that stood in support were fired following the incident on 2 August, which involved the bartender spitting in the beer ordered by a known far right radical, and refusing him service.
Footage emerged, clearly filmed on the phone of one of those in the argument, showing a male bartender being accosted by several men, which included prominent far-right figures Jimeone Roberts, 29, Neil Erikson, and Thomas Sewell.
Just weeks earlier, Roberts avoided prison by “an absolute whisker”, receiving a community corrections order and description of “pure evil” for putting up dozens of anti-Semitic posters in Melbourne streets. His behaviour was described by Magistrate David Starvaggi as “one of the most disgusting, vile, repugnant acts of anti-Semitism and racial behaviour that I have ever seen.”
“Your behaviour is tantamount to pure evil and vile hatred and that has got no place in modern Australian society, and you should be condemned for that,” said Magistrate Starvaggi.
According to Roberts, the Irish Times incident was a result of his ‘Sonnenrad’ tattoo, which is a hate symbol from the 1930s, embraced by Nazis in Germany, which he proudly displays by wearing a ‘wife-beater’ singlet.
The bartender prompted conversation on the choice to get the prominent tattoo, and presumably given a curt response, made the brash move of spitting into the man’s beer before giving it to him. The men immediately objected, to which the man behind the bar politely explained “It was a sign of disrespect”.
“I could have busted it over your head,” the video shows Roberts retort. “That would have been a sign of disrespect, but I didn’t do that.”
“I don’t think it’s an equivalent action,” replied the young man, who had refunded the beer, effectively refusing to serve the white supremacist.
At some point the posse appear to lose interest in attempting to argue their rights, Roberts quipping that at least “he’s white”, to which an unseen man replies, “yeah, but he’s gay”.
“That’s his fuckin’ problem,” says Roberts.
The bartender reiterates “I’d like it if you’d leave”.
As the group begin to leave, one of them grills the bartender for his name, and what time his shift ends.
Roberts says his “associates” pursued the matter further, via the owner, bragging to the Herald that “he and anyone that ‘showed solidarity’ with that act got rightfully fired”.
The venue announced the same day that it had acted on legal advice and sacked two workers over the incident, for violating the businesses’ workplace code of conduct – and issued a public apology to the men involved.
It’s believed the pub manager coughed up $651 after the group threatened to take the matter to court – the odd amount understood to be motivated by a special significance of the number 51 by the group, as representing the number of people killed in the Christchurch massacre.
Police are now investigating the claims of what could amount to extortion, a statement by Victoria Police noting the men “subsequently made a number of demands from the business”. Questions could also be asked about their refusal to leave the licensed premise, and threats of violence.
Dr Dvir Abramovich, chair of the Anti-Defamation Commission, notes the dangerous nature of neo-nazi ideology and offers that many may applaud “the disgust and rage”, while suggesting to News.com.au there are better ways to make the point.
“The violent neo-Nazi ideology these men promote led to the Christchurch massacre and is about an Australia without Muslims, Asians, Indigenous Australians, members of the LGBTQI community and anyone who does not fit into their warped Aryan worldview,” says Abramovich.
“This incident is a reminder that neo-Nazism is alive in our state and should send a chill down every Victorian’s spine since the rhetoric that these hardcore bigots are spewing online, can cross the line into real-world lethal attacks.”
Abramovich recommends people faced with such a confrontation might instead opt to refuse the offending person service, or simply walk away.
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If the stoic employees involved in this incident would like to contact us, we know of dozens of employers that would likely consider offering them employment (given certain assurances).
