AN IRISH pub in Luton, Bar 32, has been the centre of controversy after reportedly kicking people out for wearing a Remembrance Day poppy.
Staff at Bar 32 on Midland Road in Luton are accused of giving punters the ultimatum to remove their poppies or leave the premises on Sunday afternoon.
Later that night a small protest was staged outside of the pub by angry customers who were unhappy with this treatment.
Bedfordshire Police were called to the premises twice on Sunday as tensions spilled over.
On Monday, the Irish bar’s Facebook page was flooded with comments from dissatisfied customers for how they were treated.
One punter, Paul Harman, said:
“Got told to remove my poppy or get out! Absolute disgrace of a bar."
“One of the reasons your bar is even allowed to exist is due to the sacrifice of many brave souls and this is how you treat them," he added.
Mick Horsnell gave the pub a one-star review, saying “Disgraceful banning of poppy wearers. You must be terrorism supporters.”
But the official Bar 32 Facebook page has since been removed – where the owner responded to the outrage.
Detective Inspector Sean Quinn said: “We were called at approximately 6.30pm [on Sunday] to reports of a threats being made against Bar 32 in Luton, following a dispute in the bar earlier that day.
“Later that evening, a protest was held outside the bar, again linked to the earlier dispute. Officers attended to ensure that the protest ran smoothly. A police investigation is currently underway into the both dispute and the subsequent threats.”
The Irish Post has contacted Bar 32 for a response but was unable to get a response.
