A bar in the southern Swedish town of Vaxjö has been cleared of discrimination charges after bouncers refused entry to a group of Asian looking women in what owners said was part of efforts to keep prostitutes out.
The owners and six bouncers at Harry’s bar were facing charges of illegal discrimination after turning several Asian looking women away at the door last year. Merlita Malmström, 44, said that she felt her and her daughter were treated as if they were prostitutes.
Prosecutors claimed that repeatedly refusing entry to the women in question because of their appearance was clearly discrimination, but the Vaxjö District Court did not agree. The court ruled that the bar had a legitimate reason to turn the women away in their attempts to cut down on prostitution.
Local police had information revealing that certain Asian women in the Harry’s bar area were prostitutes, according to the court. Therefore, refusing them entry was not linked to their appearance, but suspicions of prostitution.
The bouncers’ attorney Tomas Malm said that no one was rejected for a general reason, but specific people were turned away because of concerns about criminal activity. However, the court emphasised that nothing indicated that women were involved in prostitution.
Ms Malmström and the other women were nonetheless shocked by the ruling. She said that she is very upset and it makes her sick, adding that the whole experience had been traumatic and no one deserves to be treated in such a way.
Some of the interesting rules at the Atlanta hotel in Bangkok.
1/ The Atlanta does not welcome SEX TOURISTS, and does not try to be polite about it.
Borderline cases are not given the benefit of the doubt, but are treated as sex tourists.
Those who are borderline cases should stay elsewhere.
Guests who attempt to bring in bargirls, catamites and their like will be told in plain language to settle their bills and leave.
Remaining on the premises after being told to leave will be treated as a police matter.
The Atlanta does not ask for or listen to explanations or excuses, and does not apologise for the manner in which miscreants are thrown out.
The Atlanta also does not apologise for any mistakes it may be accused of having made with regard to the identification of sex tourists.
To keep The Atlanta private, secure, wholesome and sleaze-free for the kind of guests we welcome, room guests are not permitted to take visitors / outsiders upstairs into the building and their rooms, or into the garden and pool area.
Exceptions may be made in appropriate circumstances at the management’s discretion.
Suitable visitors / outsiders may be entertained in the restaurant.
2/ The Atlanta operates a “ZERO TOLERANCE ” policy regarding
?TROUBLE-MAKERS,
?POSSESSORS AND USERS OF ILLICIT DRUGS and
?ALL OTHER ILLEGAL AND NEFARIOUS ACTIVITIES
3/ The Atlanta also does NOT WELCOME
?UNDOMESTICATED PEOPLE – the sort of people whose conduct and appearance give tourists in general and their compatriots in particular a bad name.
When The Atlanta states ‘NOT WELCOME’, The Atlanta means it. There will be no politeness about it.