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Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement Rally in Downtown Athens

AADM

The Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement is holding a protest rally at the Arch this evening after a young man filed a discrimination complaint against Jerzees Sports bar. Co-founder and President Mokah Johnson says the problem seems to primarily affect African-American males.

"It is to bring awareness to the ongoing issue of discrimination downtown,” Johnson said. “Bar owners are still turning away black and brown patrons; some bars are not stating why they’re turning people away, at this point they’re just telling them that they cannot get in.”

Johnson says the complaints increased during football season.

Jarrod Miller is Chief Operating Officer at Jerzees.

“I was blindside because I didn’t hear anything about it until you contacted me,” Miller said. “I was not contacted by anyone with the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement, which is actually funny because I actually very much support what they’re doing.”

Miller says that as an African-American male, he strives to be inclusive.

“We do a lot of sensitivity training for our staff as far as understanding that we’re not here to discriminate against people based on their age, religion, gender, their sexual orientation, their race. It does not matter.”

Miller does say his establishment has high standards for admittance.

That rally is scheduled for 5:30 this evening. It starts at the Arch and the crowd will head to City Hall.

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