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TechnographManrique accuses Champaign of not protecting human rights
By Patrick Wade
Posted: 5/2/07 Section: News
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The complaint she filed with the city was dismissed in mid-April, but the events of that night remain fresh in her mind.
Manrique said she noticed a man walking past her table, glaring at her.
"I was just sitting there minding my own business," she said.
Manrique alleged the man, bar owner Tom Sellers, leaned over her table and started "grilling" her.
Manrique is a member of the C-U Smokefree Alliance, an organization which recently lobbied to get the smoking ban passed in Urbana and then in Champaign. Manrique alleged that Sellers verbally harassed her because of her affiliation with the group and her part in getting the smoking ban passed.
After Sellers snapped a couple pictures of Manrique against her will, she became upset and left the bar.
Shortly after leaving, she called the police. No charges against Sellers were ever filed.
Sellers declined to comment, though he told the News-Gazette in February that Manrique's account was a "total lie." He did, however, admit to taking pictures of her, which he later deleted at the request of the police.
"The conversation, I don't know," said Kelly Sellers, Tom Sellers' wife and co-owner of the bar. "It's a bar, things happen."
Kelly Sellers said she comforted a crying Manrique as the woman left the bar and told Manrique not to let the exchange between her and Tom Sellers make her feel unwelcome.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Matt Varble
posted 5/02/07 @ 9:21 AM CST
"If they aren't happy with those options, they can go to court and get a court decision."
However in contrast to the Mayor's dismissive "if you don't like it, go to court" comments the entire purpose of having a Community Relations office is to eliminate the need to clog up the court system with this kind of stuff. (Continued…)
Rochelle Weber
posted 5/02/07 @ 10:03 AM CST
Ms. Manrique's encounter with the owner of Memphis on Main was not the first negative encounter members of the C-U Smokefree alliance have had with the staff and management of that bar. (Continued…)
Fred the Duck
posted 5/02/07 @ 10:27 AM CST
Wow, people feeling uncomfortable in a biker bar - what a shock. It used to be that people were smart enough to know not to go into these places unless they could, shall we say, carry themselves a certain way. (Continued…)
Fred's smarter Cousin
posted 5/02/07 @ 1:26 PM CST
Oh, so people should "know" that they're not welcome there if they aren't a certain way? Would you say that applies to other characteristics like Blacks should "know" how to carry themselves, that Catholics should "know" how to carry themselves, where does it stop? The Human Rights Ordinance was written specifically to address the level of discrimination and ignorance you have just displayed and it is ILLEGAL to discriminate based upon political affilation period. (Continued…)
Stefano
posted 5/02/07 @ 2:39 PM CST
An argument in a bar? I never heard of such a thing. Ever wonder why celebrities get into trouble in bars? They are TARGETS. If someone comes into my place of business, and that person tried to put me out of business, I would refuse service. (Continued…)
Michael
posted 5/06/07 @ 4:25 PM CST
I find it hard to believe that Ms. Manrique assumed she would be welcome in these establishments after he r actions with the Smokefree Alliance hurt their business. (Continued…)
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