Asians angry as nightclub bars them: [FINAL

Edition]
RUSNELL, CHARLES.Edmonton Journal; Edmonton, Alta. [Edmonton, Alta]05 Apr 1995:
A.1.

Leanne Aura and her fiance Clarence Iglesias were the only visible minorities among 15
people queued late Saturday outside Rebar, a popular Whyte Avenue nightclub.

``When we got to the front of the line, (the bouncer) said that they had had some trouble with
Asians last weekend and they weren't letting any Asians in,'' said Aura, who is half-
Japanese. Iglesias is of Filipino descent.

Earlier that night, Edward Estrada, Aldwin Perez and another of their Filipino friends were
also turned away by the same bouncer.

``He looked at our IDs and asked if we were Spanish or Filipino,'' Estrada said. ``We said
Filipino and he said, sorry but we couldn't come in. He was really nice about it, but anyway
you look at it, it was racist.''

Aura has filed a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

Although most bar owners will strongly deny it, young people of Asian descent say they're
being discriminated against because of the color of their skin.

``I could see it coming,'' Perez said. ``Because we're visible minorities and we hang around
together, we're seen as a gang and as trouble.''

Police say that some Asians are trouble.

``This is really going to be a political hot potato, but the fact is the majority of violent
situations that have occurred in these clubs over the past while have involved Asians,'' said
police information officer Annette Bidniak. ``I think the owners are desperately trying to
clean up their clubs but they're grappling with just how to do that.''

Bidniak said several bar owners have told police they've found a way to deal with the
problem without being overtly racist. Doormen are now asking certain clients, some of whom
just happen to be Asian, for at least three pieces of picture identification. It's a requirement
few can meet.

Accordingly it's an effective way to screen potential undesirables. Asians are still being
allowed into the bars, but mostly because they're regulars or known to the bouncer.

Bidniak identified the Gas Pump on Calgary Trail South as one bar that is using the picture
ID method to screen clientele. On March 19, five bouncers from the club were taken to
hospital, some with stab wounds, after a brawl involving up to 40 people.

``I'm an Asian myself so I can't say we do it because they're Asian, but I'm sure you're aware
of the trouble we've had here,'' said owner John Mah.

Mah was asked why Caucasians weren't being required to provide as many pieces of
identification as Asians.

``White people don't start fights in here. White people don't kick in my front door. I have to
protect my investment.''

Rebar owner Brad Courtney strongly denied his bar was singling out Asians. Courtney said
he recently implemented the strict ID policy after he was cited for allowing a minor into
his bar.

``We ask everybody for ID. We turn down probably 15 to 20 people a night if they don't have
proper ID,'' Courtney said. ``We turned down a 39-year-old white woman because she didn't
have proper ID. We are not discriminating. Absolutely not. We're a tolerant bar.''

Courtney said it wouldn't be in the bar's interest to discriminate against Asians because ``all
they would do is come back and harass us.

``God only knows why these people carry knives. White people don't.''

Courtney was asked if he was talking about all Asians.

``Vietnamese. Is that Asian? Or is that the brown nation -- East Indians? It's not just Asians.
It's Chinese as well. These people have nothing to do but get into packs and go around
taunting people.''
He said there must have been some misunderstanding involving Leanne Aura, Clarence
Iglesias and the others who said they were denied entry because they're Asians.

Aura said she and her fiance were not even asked for identification before they were turned
away.

Sarah Kinsey, 20, said she saw the young Filipinos turned away by the bouncer.

Moments later, she and at least eight of her friends -- all Caucasians -- were admitted to
Rebar after showing only their driver's licences.

``I thought the whole thing was just pretty disgusting,'' Kinsey said.

A QUESTION OF RACE

Young Asians say they are being turned away from some of Edmonton's most
popular bars because of the color of their skin. They say a few Asians have caused trouble,
but bar owners are now discriminating against all of them. The owners deny discriminating
against anyone and say they're only strictly enforcing a policy that requires all patrons to
have at least three pieces of picture identification.