A Manhattan judge on Wednesday ruled against accountant Greg Piatek who had sued a New York City bar for throwing him out for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat in January 2017.
Piatek claimed that after he and his friends complained of rude service at The Happiest Hour bar, the staff reportedly told him, “Anyone who supports Trump—or believes in what you believe—is not welcome here! And you need to leave right now because we won’t serve you!”
Following the incident, Piatek sued the bar for offending “his sense of being American.” When The Happiest Hour’s lawyer noted that only religious beliefs are protected under city and state discrimination laws, Piatek attempted to pivot, suggesting that his hat reflected a “spiritual belief” and argued that he had donned the hat in “spiritual tribute” while visiting the 9/11 memorial prior to going to the bar.
The judge evidently didn’t buy the argument. He called the incident “petty” and tossed the lawsuit, noting that the law does not protect against political discrimination. “Here the claim that plaintiff was not served and eventually escorted out of the bar because of his perceived support for President Trump is not outrageous conduct,” the judge ruled.