Gay couple film themselves being turned away from restaurant in Mexico

The restaurant owner took objection to the two men holding hands and refused to serve them – local LGBTI rights group have organized a protest

A gay couple in Mexico captured footage of a restaurant owner refusing them service.

Rubén Veliz, 29, and Edwin Contreras, 27, had gone to dine at Pozole Y Tacos (#1200-B Coloniza Colinas de San Jerónimo), Monterrey, Nuevo León, at around 5pm on Sunday (28 April). Veliz tells Gay Star News he has visited the establishment several times previously.

However, on this occasion, on seeing the men holding hands, the restaurant’s owner refused to serve them.

He allegedly screamed at them over holding hands, calling it ‘bullshit’, and insisting he had every right to refuse service.

The men went and sought help from a police officer, who returned with them to the restaurant. This time, they filmed themselves approaching. However, the owner again repeats that they are not welcome.

The police officer asks him if he knows what he is doing is a crime. However, he does not take any further action.

Shortly later, a restaurant employee comes out and tells them they cannot allow men in holding hands because it’s a family-friendly establishment.

Footage of restaurant refusal posted to Facebook and shared
Veliz posted footage of the encounter to Facebook.

It was reposted by local LGBTI group, Colectivo Somos Mundo.

The footage has since gone viral.

A unos chicos gays en Monterrey, Nuevo León ?? que entraron de la mano al restaurante: Pozole y tacos La regia, les negaron el servicio.

Esto pasó cuando confrontaron al dueño. "Si vienen puteando o de la manita NO les voy a entender".
¡Brava amigays por no dejarse! pic.twitter.com/7kYuFXP47W

— Escándala (@escandalamx) May 2, 2019

Among those to condemn the restaurant are Alex Orué, the Mexico coordinator of the It Gets Better project.

Estás actitudes discriminatorias por homofobia son un delito. Legisladores y gobernantes, así como mismos grupos de odio como el @FNxFamilia, que refuerzan discursos antiderechos son responsables de validar este tipo de acciones que nos violentan a gente LGBTIQ en la vida diaria. https://t.co/iT4Rc76XzT

— Alex Orué ?️‍? (@Alex_Orue) May 2, 2019

Orué points out homophobic discrimination is a crime, but such attitudes are validated by the public statement of certain politicians and right-wing groups such as Frente Nacional.

Mexico has laws prohibiting discrimination against gay people in respect to the provision of goods and services.

On Tuesday, Colectivo Somos made another posting saying it had accompanied Veliz to make a complaint about the restaurant. It accompanied him to the State Commission for Human Rights in Nuevo León.

Colectivo Somos has now planned a demonstration about the incident to take place outside the restaurant on Saturday (4 May).

Veliz told Gay Star News the police will not pursue the matter but he is pursuing a complaint through other government agencies.

Staff at Pozole Y Tacos did not answer the phone when GSN called for comment and the restaurant’s Facebook page appears to have been removed.

Read also:

Gay couple cut Valentine’s meal short after being told: ‘It’s a family restaurant’