A Dallas man wants the city to enforce an ordinance requiring bars to post dress codes after he claims bouncers at a bar used an impromptu policy to discriminate against him last weekend.
DeAndre Upshaw led a march on Wednesday in front of Kung Fu Saloon on Cedar Springs Road.
Upshaw said this bar is where four white bouncers claimed his high-top shoes violated their dress code.
Upshaw, who is African American, said he believes the true reason was racism.
"The message we're trying to send is racial discrimination in Dallas is not acceptable,” Upshaw said. “We won't stand for it another day."
Off-duty officers stood guard in front of the saloon. There were no incidents and the crowd walked by in silence.
In a statement, Kung Fu Saloon said its customers are diverse and that its policy is not to discriminate against anyone.
Upshaw said all bars in Uptown Dallas need to know the law.
"And the law states if you have a dress code, it must be posted,” Upshaw said. “Your dress code must be posted in the front of your establishment and you cannot change your dress code on a whim depending on who walks up."
Kung Fu Saloon has since posted its dress code on its Facebook page.
It bans improperly fit clothing, for example, but said nothing about shoes.
Paula Biehler, a spokeswoman for the bar, has not returned telephone calls seeking further comment.
Dallas city spokesman Shawn Williams said late Wednesday that he was not familiar with the ordinance, but was researching it.
It was not clear which city department is in charge of enforcing the law, but Upshaw and others said they don’t believe the dress code ordinance has ever been enforced.
