Two bartenders were dismissed from a tavern after they reportedly spit into a neo-beverage. Nazi’s
On August 2, Jimeone Roberts and three friends were drinking at The Irish Times Pub in Melbourne’s CBD when they challenged a male worker behind the bar.
The employee is said to have spit into Mr Roberts’ drink after spotting he had a ‘black sun’ tattoo on his arm. During Nazi Germany, the insignia was employed by the SS military force.
‘That’s his own decision, he can do whatever he wants,’ Mr Roberts’ companion is heard telling the bartender.
Mr Roberts then begins to verbally harass the worker, referring to him as a “fa***t.”
‘I don’t like fa***ts, you don’t like Nazis, and I didn’t start s**t with you because you’re a f**king f**t,’ he continues.
His companion then proceeds to chastise the bartender, claiming that regardless of what Mr Roberts was wearing, his drink should never have been ruined.
‘It was a gesture of contempt,’ says the bartender.
‘At the end of the day, this is called disrespect, you’re meant to be performing a job,’ the pal responds.
It makes me sick. I’m annoyed that you believe it’s acceptable.’
The party ultimately leaves the tavern, with one of them asking the bartender what time he ends so they can’meet up someplace.’
The Irish Times issued an apology and revealed that two staff had been fired.
‘The Irish Times Management would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Jimeone Roberts and his pals – Stefanos, Neil Erikson, Thomas Sewell, and Ricky T. for the event that occurred on August 2nd, 2022,’ according to a statement.
‘Following the incident, the Irish Times Management took swift disciplinary action by firing the two workers participating in the event, which breached The Irish Times’ workplace code of conduct,’ the company said.
The Irish Times Management team strongly condemns the ex-unprofessional employee’s behavior in spitting into the consumer’s drink as a result of a political dispute with the patron.
‘As part of our dedication to providing the finest quality of care to our clients, we will continue to emphasize that all personnel must stay polite towards our patrons at all times to prevent any such future recurrence,’ said the company.
In a subsequent post, the pub said that the effects of Covid on the hospitality sector were still being felt, and that they had obtained legal counsel before terminating the employees.
‘We don’t want to be in the middle of any political debates or themes,’ stated pub management.
‘As always, we simply want what is best for our employees and customers in order to continue serving the community, as our pub has done for over 20 years.’ We appreciate your patience and support in this situation.’
The event has prompted debate on social media, with many congratulating the worker for confronting the group with such divisive ideas.
‘If your bartender spits in the drink of a Nazi, they deserve a raise and a bonus,’ one added.
‘The young fella deserves solidarity,’ said another.
Others criticised his actions, saying there was no place for unsanitary behavior in the midst of a pandemic.
‘It is unsanitary and feral, and it has harmed an innocent company that is simply trying to get by and do what they do after two years of agony,’ one added.
In an interview with The Irish Times, Mr Roberts alleged the bartender ‘hassled’ him.
‘As a white Australian, I should be free to have a beer at any pub or bar in this country without my food or drink being polluted because people disagree with my ideas,’ he told The Herald Sun.
‘Imagine the uproar if the positions were reversed in this case.’
Dr Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission and Australia’s foremost anti-hate advocate, predicted that the bartenders would be ‘applauded.’
‘I understand their anger and indignation when they realized they were feeding vile people who were most likely toasting Hitler and fantasizing about gathering up Australian Jewish men, women, and children and transporting them to open fields to be slaughtered,’ he added.
‘This tragedy serves as a warning that neo-Nazism is alive and well in our state, and it should send shivers down the spines of all Victorians, because the vitriol that these hardline bigots are spouting online may cross the line into real-world violent assaults.’
Spitting into a drink, according to Dr. Abramovich, is not suitable.
‘However, there are more effective and suitable methods to combat the evil they symbolize than spitting into their beverages,’ he said.
‘Refusing to offer service is one thing; walking out in protest is another.’
Mr Roberts was recently sentenced to community service for putting up many anti-Semitic posters across Melbourne.
Magistrate David Starvaggi called his actions as “one of the most filthy, terrible, repulsive acts of anti-Semitism and racist behavior that I have ever witnessed.”
His buddy Thomas Sewell, who was with him at the bar, is facing assault charges in connection with a different incident in which he reportedly attacked a security officer outside Channel Nine’s headquarters.