The US Justice Dept. said it resolved allegations of race, color and national origin discrimination with the owners and operators of Kung Fu Saloon, a bar and restaurant with locations in Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas, involving the denial of admission to African-American and Asian-American patrons.
The settlement announced Tuesday requires Kung Fu Saloon to implement changes to policies and practices in order to prevent such discrimination.
The Justice Department’s complaint alleged that the defendants–Routh, Washington and Grand Guys LLC, each doing business as Kung Fu Saloon–violated Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in dozens of instances, by denying African-American patrons entry into Kung Fu Saloon locations based on a dress code when similarly dressed white patrons were permitted to enter.
The suit also alleged the defendants engaged in other practices to limit the number of African-American and Asian-American patrons, the DOJ said in a statement.
“This settlement resolves serious allegations of racial and national origin discrimination at Kung Fu Saloon locations in Texas, and it should make clear that any illegal discrimination in places of public accommodations will not be tolerated,” said Acting US Attorney John R. Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
The department said a consent decree requires the defendants to comply with federal law by not discriminating against patrons on the basis of race, color or national origin; to post and enforce a non-discriminatory dress code policy; to implement a system for receiving and investigating complaints of discrimination; and to conduct monitoring to ensure that Kung Fu Saloon’s employees are acting in a non-discriminatory manner consistent with federal law.
Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 doesn’t allow the department to seek monetary damages for individual customers who are victims of discrimination, but obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices. The law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in places of public accommodation, such as restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, nightclubs, stadiums and other places of exhibition or entertainment.
