Vancouver's Restaurant Watch Program

[HelloHockeyFans]

Forty restaurants - including central Vancouver branches of Cactus Club, Earl's, the Keg, Milestones and Moxies - have signed on, displaying front-window signs declaring their Restaurant Watch commitment. Others are expected to join as the program gains momentum.

Their staff and owners are being organized to call police if they suspect patrons are either gang members, gang associates, drug traffickers or someone with a "propensity for violence," Superintendent Warren Lemcke of the Vancouver Police Department said.
"If we walk into a restaurant and we see a person that fits one of those four criteria, they will be asked to leave."

The B.C. Civil Liberties Association dismissed the program as "bloody odd," with the easy potential to threaten the rights of restaurant patrons. Micheal Vonn, BCCLA policy director, wondered how restaurant staff will be able to tell people with gang-like appearances are actual gangsters with violent tendencies.


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...Story/National




I don't oppose the idea of keeping restaurant patrons safe... just a little confused on how they intend to correctly identify "gangsters" and give them the boot.


I was actually refused entry into a night club in Vancouver last year because I was wearing an Ed Hardy t-shirt. Apparently, according to my friends there, most night clubs have refused entry to any one wearing this brand.

Are they going to use the same "criteria" for restaurants? Will they refuse entry to people wearing expensive suits because members of organized crime have the bankroll to wear $5000 suits? What about successful, legit businessmen?

What other criteria could they possibly use other than clothes? Colours? I really doubt "gang colours" would be a useful indicator since we're not talking about the Bloods or the Crips here. Race?

Just a little confused on how they're going to determine by some one's physical appearance that they have a "propensity for violence".

[mykalberta]

They banned you because of an Ed Hardy shirt, damn. I own 4 of those shirts, that really blows. Another reason to dislike Vancouver...

1 - Canucks
2 - Canucks Fans
3 - BC in General
4 - Hate for Ed Hardy shirts

[Igottago]

Yeah I'm interested in seeing how this plays out. Great idea in theory, but I'm actually a guy just by looking at that some people might think is a gang member, just because I'm a young minority male...does that mean if I'm sitting there eating a steak the cops could just come kick me out at any moment?

However, I'm all for them trying it out. These guys think they pretty much own the city and can put innocent people's lives at risk anywhere they see fit, it is nice to see a bit of a stand being taken against them.

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

I don't oppose the idea of keeping restaurant patrons safe... just a little confused on how they intend to correctly identify "gangsters" and give them the boot.


I was actually refused entry into a night club in Vancouver last year because I was wearing an Ed Hardy t-shirt. Apparently, according to my friends there, most night clubs have refused entry to any one wearing this brand.

Well, they deny people entry who are wearing those shirts because they are as ugly as Zack Stortini is. If he was wearing one, it would create some nexus of ugly that would swallow up everything around it; converting Flames jerseys to Canucks jerseys, and non-Ed Hardy shirts into Ed Hardy shirts.

My understanding of these situations is limited at best, but don't restaurants have the right to limit service to anyone they want to for any reason? If someone went to one of these places and got turned out because they were wearing the wrong clothing or had a huge neck tattoo, they have the choice to not go there any more.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

My understanding of these situations is limited at best, but don't restaurants have the right to limit service to anyone they want to for any reason? If someone went to one of these places and got turned out because they were wearing the wrong clothing or had a huge neck tattoo, they have the choice to not go there any more.

That's where civil rights and civil liberties lawyers get in involved to determine if the limitation of service was lawful or constitutional.

[Winsor_Pilates]

The only people in Vancouver who wear Ed Hardy are gangsters and wannabe gangsters. I wouldn't let people wearing Ed Hardy into a club here either. It has become a badge in this city for ###### bags, and members of BC's biggest gangs are always wearing it.

besides, why buy Ed Hardy, when you can get a be-dazzler and put cheesy stones on your clothes by yourself for 1% the price.


As for the original topic, it seems like a decent idea to me, but as soon as I'm kicked out of Cactus for being a young Indian male with a bit of flash to my dress, I'll probably change my mind.

[Deelow]

How much does an Ed Hardy shirt cost?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Deelow

How much does an Ed Hardy shirt cost?

$49.99 and 2-5 in a federal penitentiary.

[henriksedin33]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

The only people in Vancouver who wear Ed Hardy are gangsters and wannabe gangsters. I wouldn't let people wearing Ed Hardy into a club here either. It has become a badge in this city for ###### bags, and members of BC's biggest gangs are always wearing it.

besides, why buy Ed Hardy, when you can get a be-dazzler and put cheesy stones on your clothes by yourself for 1% the price.


As for the original topic, it seems like a decent idea to me, but as soon as I'm kicked out of Cactus for being a young Indian male with a bit of flash to my dress, I'll probably change my mind.

Agreed. Knowing the type of people who wear that stuff (for the most part), I have no problem with it at all. Not just gangsters necessarily, but the whole tough guy looking for a fight if you brush against him crowd. Probably cut their closing-time brawls in half.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/s...ade788&k=69749

IMO Ed Hardy shirts are either for "fashion-forward" people (which I'm guessing you guys are...) or people with too much freakin' money for their own good, which usually comes by the way of drug dealing or professional theft.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

The only people in Vancouver who wear Ed Hardy are gangsters and wannabe gangsters. I wouldn't let people wearing Ed Hardy into a club here either. It has become a badge in this city for ###### bags, and members of BC's biggest gangs are always wearing it.

besides, why buy Ed Hardy, when you can get a be-dazzler and put cheesy stones on your clothes by yourself for 1% the price.


As for the original topic, it seems like a decent idea to me, but as soon as I'm kicked out of Cactus for being a young Indian male with a bit of flash to my dress, I'll probably change my mind.

What happens when an out-of-towner like myself, who isn't a "gangster or wannabe gangster" visits the city wearing that, or any other brand?

I'm interested in knowing how the powers that be came to the conclusion that certain brands are worn only by gangsters.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally Posted by Puxlut

IMO Ed Hardy shirts are either for "fashion-forward" people (which I'm guessing you guys are...) or people with too much freakin' money for their own good, which usually comes by the way of drug dealing or professional theft.

In my opinion, Ed Hardy shirts or ANY OTHER BRAND OF CLOTHING, is worn by people who happen to like that article of clothing... period.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

Well, they deny people entry who are wearing those shirts because they are as ugly as Zack Stortini is. If he was wearing one, it would create some nexus of ugly that would swallow up everything around it; converting Flames jerseys to Canucks jerseys, and non-Ed Hardy shirts into Ed Hardy shirts.

A little surprised by this response considering it's coming from you Steve, but I suppose you were trying to be funny...

Believe it or not, what you may find "ugly", others might actually like! It's sort of like taste in music, food and other things!

[4X4]

This sounds like a free pass to (I can't believe I'm about to use this word...) discriminate. If the idea is to evict groups of people that seem to be conducting business inside the establishment, then I guess I see the merit. It just doesn't sound that way. It sounds like if an asian in sharp clothing tries to get in, the restaurateur can deny him because he looks like a gang member.

As for Ed Hardy shirts, a buddy of mine showed up wearing one of those one day (I had never seen one before) and I asked him if there were any good sales at WalMart. When he told me that the thing cost him a hundred bucks I mocked him mercilessly for the rest of the night.
I guess we don't see eye to eye on fashion. He mocks my plaid snap button shirts though. So we're even.

And I remember one time a friend of mine was denied entry to Speakeasy because he was wearing a Boiler Makers Union tshirt. The guy is a Boiler Maker. WTF? The bouncer told him they don't allow colors in the bar.

[Hack&Lube]

Being denied entry because of your t-shirt is nothing. Calgary clubs deny entry based on race.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

What happens when an out-of-towner like myself, who isn't a "gangster or wannabe gangster" visits the city wearing that, or any other brand?

I'm interested in knowing how the powers that be came to the conclusion that certain brands are worn only by gangsters.

What happens is you look like a gangster, and are treated like one. It's definitely stereotyping, and I'm not saying it's right, but when 99% of the people here wearing Ed Hardy are gangsters, people might think you are too.

And I don't think the powers that be came up with it. The gangsters started to identify with the clothing first, and the powers that be started paying attention.

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

A little surprised by this response considering it's coming from you Steve, but I suppose you were trying to be funny...

Believe it or not, what you may find "ugly", others might actually like! It's sort of like taste in music, food and other things!

Well, at least you recognized that I was TRYING to be funny! Obviously I know all this to be true - I'm just not big on shirts with huge logos/art all over them.