BREAKING NEWS – Baltimore, Maryland – When an image appeared on social media showing the establishment’s dress code — posted on the gate outside — some users complained that the rules seemed to be discriminating against blacks. The sign in the photo says items like “excessively baggy clothing, athletic attire, jerseys, brimless headgear and backwards or sideways hats” are prohibited. The photo was captioned, “Dress CODED sign at the new Choptank restaurant in Fells,” implying that the dress code had an ulterior motive. One person tweeted, “Y’all could have saved yourselves some time and just posted a ‘No Black People’ sign.” Others echoed the sentiment, with one user posting, “this is racist as hell and I will never enter your restaurant and will actively warn others away from it, have a great day.” The most prominent African-American nightclub in Baltimore, Select Lounge has a stricter dress code as well. Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings weighed in on the controversy. “What the Choptank is doing clearly racist,” he explained. “Who are they to tell the young brothers on how they should dress? It’s none of their business! Whereas, the Select Lounge who has the exact same dress codes, is properly ridiculing these young punks into not looking like gangbanging thugs, that don’t have enough brains to buy clothes that fit, or to wear pants that’s hanging off their misguided worthless butts!”
