Minneapolis bar closes after performers and employees protest owner's donation to ex-KKK leader

[dflprincess]

Follow up to a post from a couple days ago

http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-bar-closes-after-performers-and-employees-protest-owner-s-donation-to-ex-kkk-leader/442502213/

A Minneapolis bar shut down after performers canceled, customers vowed to boycott it and employees were repulsed to learn the owner donated $500 to former KKK leader David Duke's 2016 Senate campaign.

Caught between those who were outraged over the donation and white supremacists who thought they could claim the bar as their own were more than a dozen employees who became collateral damage in the fallout.

Former employees, who asked not to be identified, confirmed Friday that Club Jäger was closed and the 17 employees at the North Loop bar were out of jobs. Employees were incensed when they learned about the owner's donation to Duke, and the decision to close the business was made by those who ran it, not the owner, they said.

Club Jäger's owner, Julius DeRoma, couldn't be reached for comment on Friday. The backlash erupted this week after City Pages published a story about DeRoma's political donation to Duke's failed bid for the U.S. Senate seat in Louisiana....

..A few employees immediately walked off the job when they learned about DeRoma's donation. Others stayed because they had families to feed, Callahan said....

...By Wednesday, the bar was desolate except for a few people who hadn't heard about DeRoma's donation and a half dozen white supremacists who made racist comments and harassed employees. "The people working there didn't want to keep this guy's business operating and continue to face the harassment," Callahan said....

...The bar's staff was a diverse group racially and sexually — "all of whom are directly affected by the actions of David Duke," Callahan said. "Then to find out that the guy who signs their paychecks supports David Duke, I can't tell you how betrayed we all felt. It was emotionally jarring for all of us. And then to have the people who we thought would support us, blame us, it was pretty emotional."

Fortunately for the employees, a lot of bars and restaurants in the area are in need of help.

[Kajun Gal]

1. Duke

Good for these employees. Proud!