Nellie’s Sports Bar has fired the independent security vendor it had hired to help with crowd control during this past weekend’s Pride festivities, and will remain closed for the remainder of the week.
The popular LGBTQ hangout was fiercely criticized on social media and protested by activists, including members of Black Lives Matter DC, after security guards were videotaped dragging a woman down the stairs by her arms and her hair. Some protesters called for the bar to be permanently shut down, and encouraged their friends and social circles to stop patronizing Nellie’s as a result.
The incident allegedly stemmed from a case of mistaken identity, according to the victim, 22-year-old Keisha Young. She told WUSA9 that she was mistaken for another patron who had brought an open container of alcohol into the bar, and was roughly accosted by security and dragged down the stairs.
In a statement posted to its Facebook page, the management of Nellie’s said it had “terminated, with immediate effect” the independent security vendor and that it would continue its own investigation into what happened.
“Our investigation into the matter is ongoing, and we will cooperate with any law enforcement investigation, however we do not need to wait for the investigation’s conclusion before we take decisive action,” the statement reads. “We offer a heartfelt apology to all who witnessed the horrific events of this past weekend. No matter what behavior occurred prior, nothing warrants mistreating, and disrespecting, one of our guests.
“What we can say is we have heard the concerns of the BIPOC and LGBTQ communities,” the statement continues. “Nellie’s will be closed this week as we evaluate this regrettable situation, though we will continue to pay all non-security staff their normal wages. In the interim, we will use this time to listen and understand what more we can do to create the safe and friendly atmosphere our guests have come to expect from Nellie’s Sports Bar over the past 14 years.”
Cracker Barrel has removed the "Pride" section of its website, which once highlighted the chain's sponsorship of the Nashville Pride Parade. Visitors are now redirected to a "Culture and Belonging" page.
The company insists the change was part of routine site updates, not a reaction to backlash from right-wing conservatives.
"In connection with the Company's brand work, we have recently made updates to the Cracker Barrel website, including adding new content and removing out-of-date content," a spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Organizers of the annual Nashville Pride Festival & Parade have launched a fundraiser to help sustain future events after several longtime sponsors withdrew their support.
In an Aug. 20 press release, Nashville Pride said sponsorship revenue is down $270,000 from previous years.
Nearly 40% of the festival's longtime sponsors withdrew support for this year's Pride -- some just days before the festivities kicked off in late June -- according to Nashville Public Radio station WPLN. Among them were Bridgestone Americas, a presenting sponsor for 11 years, and Nissan, which ended its presenting sponsorship after four years.
Sawyer Hemsley, co-founder and chief branding officer of Crumbl Cookies, recently came out as gay after an influencer's viral TikTok speculated about his sexuality.
Hemsley, who launched the billion-dollar cookie chain in 2017 with his cousin Jason McGowan while a student at Utah State, has become a prominent face of the brand on TikTok.
Hemsley addressed the speculation in an Instagram post, writing, "here have been people online trying to define me, twist things, and share conversations that feel harmful. Instead of letting others write my story, I want to share it in my own words. The truth is, over the past few years I've come to understand and accept that I'm gay."
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