Houston Mayor Turner has dinner to support Miller’s cafe after protesting masked warrant

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is calling for an end to “madness,” such as protests against a restaurant where maskless customers have been denied service.

On Monday, the mayor dined at Miller’s Cafe on North Shepherd Drive, claiming the restaurant where employees said they only follow Texas rules.

The restaurant was targeted by protesters over the weekend, after customers were upset that they had been told to wear a face mask while inside the business.

An eyewitness who recorded the demonstration in front of the company recalled chants expressed by the group.

“They sparked, ‘My body, my choice.’ Something along the line. “No mask,” said Douglas Lopez, who filmed the protest.

WATCH: Raw video of the protest in front of the Houston cafe

While in the restaurant to borrow his business, Turner called the protesters a different term, except for the protesters.

“People who protested and demonstrated Miller’s cafe because they asked them to put on a mask – they are bullies,” Turner said. “This nonsense must stop. Put on your mask, the pandemic is still very much here. ”

According to Miller’s manager, Jessica Beer, the customers in question were offered face masks.

“I asked them to put on a mask and they tried to say that they have health problems and that they don’t have to wear masks. I said they did. I tried to give them masks and then they started chanting,” Boycott Miller, ” Beer recalls.

She added: “I didn’t understand. Why us? You know everyone has a sign. It doesn’t even depend on us. It depends on the state.”

Customers at restaurants across the country are forced to cover their faces in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a mandate that has drawn similar protests elsewhere in the past year.

TIES: Masks off! The protesters claim that the present mask order is unconstitutional

In September, a video circulated online with a protest at a Florida Target store where participants asked customers to remove their masks.

While the mask warrants remain in effect, enforcement in Houston did not come with widespread fines or documented warnings, according to a November record check.

“I don’t think it will be our number one priority,” Houston police chief Art Acevedo said at the time. “As you can imagine, we’re trying to influence violent crime, but it’s something you’re subject to a $ 250 subpoena.”

SEE ALSO: No one receives tickets for violating the mask warrant in Houston

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