A patron of a fashionable Melbourne bar on the roof was threatened with expulsion on Australia Day for wearing a Make America Great Again Cap.
Renewable energy wholesaler Angelo Notta, 45, visited the captain Baxter Bar and restaurant in Beachside St Kilda on Sunday evening to celebrate a friend's birthday.
Mr. Notta told Daily Mail Australia that he visits the location for the most weekends and estimated that he would have spent more than $ 7,200 there in the past two months.
Although he had worn his Maga -hat five times earlier without problems at the bar, a young employee accused him of trying to 'encourage' him on Sunday and asked him to remove it, just 10 minutes after his group sat down.
“It was really an embarrassing approach. I am an adult man and was told by a 21-year-old to take off my hat because it is political, “said Mr. Notta.
“He came to our table and said I had to do the hat because the location has a policy.
'I have worn hats there several times – I have worn hats more often than I don't.
“I could just see that it was his opinion in politics, so he wanted me to take it off.”
Angelo Notta (photo) was instructed to remove his Make America Great Again Hat in a bar on the roof in Melbourne
Mr. Notta claimed that the employee was 'condescending' and 'thought he had a lot of control and power', which contributed to humiliation.
“He told me that I had to get it out and put it out of sight or that I would be put out of the location,” he said.
“I thought it was nonsense, but my friend said he just had to do it so that it didn't cause a drama anymore.
“I got it out, but my hair was completely confused, it ruined the rest of the day. I only wore the hat to cover a bad hair day. '
Security also approached the group a second time when one of Mr. Notta's friends tried the Maga hat, making them increasingly uncomfortable.
“I didn't want to turn anything on or rustle – it's just a hat I have,” said Mr. Notta.
'It played in my mind all night and again when I woke up this morning.
'I was irritated and decided to send the location an e -mail. But then she thought they would ignore or remove it, so I sent it to 3AW – a Melbourne -Radioshow – instead. '
Employees of the captain Baxter of St. Kilda accused Mr. Notta of wearing the hat to generate violence. Shown is the trendy location
Although Mr. Merta stated that he was understanding and respectful for clothing codes, he felt that he was specifically the target of staff who opposed US President Trump and the Maga movement.
'We wear hats to the Baxter every weekend, so that's not the problem. On their website they say they don't discriminate, but it was complete discrimination to tell me, “he said.
“There are 150 million people in America who have such a hat. It is not like wearing a hat that supports terrorists or something like that – this is the president of the United States.
“What's now? Can't wear the colors of your favorite football team? '
The test of Mr. Notta led to a division under Aussies on X.
“Which bar? I want to go: 'One joked.
Another added: “Yet yesterday we allowed some signs during protests in the city that were much more offensive.”
But many others jumped to defend the bar.
'I have no problem with the hat, but it was drilled in me from young age to remove hats when entering a form of location. The same should apply here, “wrote a man.
Another added: 'If someone was wearing this in my bar, I would do the same – it's my business, I can choose what me, my customers insults and what my values ​​represents and all people must feel safe and seen – it represents hatred. “
A third wrote: “If you like from America so much, go so much to it!”
On her website, Kapitein Baxter states that the location on the water is a place of discrimination, where we respect and celebrate the diversity of our communities. ”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Captain Baxter and Operator Melbourne Hospitality People for comment.
