City to Investigate Kung Fu Saloon For Discrimination

Uptown's Kung Fu Saloon witnessed a backlash of epic proportions last month after yet another patron accused the arcade-themed bar of practicing systematic racial discrimination at the door, and now it will be subject to an investigation by the city of Dallas.

CultureMap Dallas reports that local social media manager DeAndre Upshaw, who ignited the anti-Kung Fu Saloon firestorm after he was turned away from the bar for a supposed dress code violation, appeared before the Dallas City Council today to voice his concerns about the bar's alleged discriminatory practices.

Per CultureMap, city manager A.C. Gonzalez promised to pursue the investigation "very aggressively," saying, "If needed, legal action will be taken to see about correcting the situation." Council member Dwaine Caraway said that the city would be investigating not only Kung Fu Saloon but also other bars in the area, saying, "if it's happening in one, it could be happening in others."

The outcry that originated on Twitter gathered steam quickly, spurring a trending hashtag #NoKungFu and garnering media coverage from TV news outlets in both Dallas and Houston; Upshaw also organized a peaceful rally that took place in Uptown and marched past the bar. Similar accusations have arisen against the bar's other locations in Austin and Houston in the past, but this appears to mark the first time that city government has gotten involved.

· City Council Vows to Investigate Kung Fu Saloon [CultureMap]
· Kung Fu Saloon Will Be Investigated For Discrimination [DMN Pop Culture Blog]
· Kung Fu Saloon Accused of Racist Door Policies (Again) [-EDFW-]
· All Kung Fu Saloon coverage [-EDFW-]

[Photo: Whitney Filloon]