Milwaukee's Monkey Bar, Jokerz Comedy Club And Mexican Fiesta Discriminate Against Body Art

Rafael Hernández

Two local Milwaukee businesses and a non-profit organization, including their sponsored event discriminate against body art, whether facial or body.

By H. Nelson Goodson

March 18, 2014

Milwaukee, WI - Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) has learned that a local bar called the Monkey Bar, the Jockerz Comedy Club have joined the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation's (WHSF) who sponsors the annual three-day Mexican Fiesta in discriminating and profiling people that have facial or body art. A recent posted Facebook comment alleged that the Monkey Bar and the Jockerz Comedy have denied access to Rafael Hernández because of his facial tattoos. Hernández was also kicked out from Mexican Fiesta last Summer because of his tattoos as well. Hernández is an educated individual who happens to have facial tattoos and he has confirmed, that he is not a gang member. HNNUSA in August exposed Mexican Fiesta and its LPOA security, including the Milwaukee Police Department of discriminating and illegally using city resources to profile festivalgoers at the festival. None of the individuals profiled by LPOA, Mexican Fiesta and police during the event engaged in any illegal activity or were cited while at the festival, but their only alleged crime was to wear and exhibit body art or be associated to a gang.

The City of Milwaukee or state legislators have yet to introduce a city ordinance or law to prevent people wearing tattoos from being discriminated or profiled as gang members by a business or non-profit organization, when in fact they are not. 

The Milwaukee Police Department has used its intelligence center to provide questionable information to the WHSF during their three-day festival to identifying suspected, alleged or former gang members without providing actual proof during profiled stops by the Latino Peace Officers Association (LPOA) who do voluntary security for Mexican Fiesta. Once an individual is profiled by police ot the LPOA while inside the festival grounds (city owned grounds), the targeted victims wearing tattoos, which are considered not in good taste for Fiesta's family environment standards are kicked out or face disorderly conduct citations, if they refuse to leave peacefully and those entering are expelled as well without a refund.

Milwaukee is a segregated city, police have been accused of abusing the civil rights of its citizens and now anyone wearing a tattoo could be subject to public prosecution by its intelligence center. The lack any action or to address the current security issue by the Milwaukee Common Council, Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn will most likely lead to a major class action lawsuit.

Well, what can you expect from Milwaukee a very backward town, some might say and agree?