Stockholm nightclub fined for ethnic discrimination
A Stockholm bar and nightclub has been found guilty of discriminating against six men of "foreign" appearance. Huddinge district court has ordered Kickis Bar & Café in Stockholm city centre to pay each of the men 40,000 kronor in compensation.
The court ruled in favour of the five men having watched video footage they recorded at the time of the incident.
"I was convinced that the bar would be found guilty in light of the evidence the guys managed to come with up," said Anders Wilhelmsson, a legal expert from the office of the Obmudsman against Ethnic Discrimination.
The video recording showed a total of twelve friends, divided into four groups. Two of the groups were made up solely of men with light skin and light hair. The other two groups consisted of men with dark skin and dark hair.
All twelve of the men were sober and respectably dressed.
When the two groups of dark-skinned men made their way to the door they were told by bouncers that the club was full. Only people with membership cards would be admitted.
Soon afterwards, however, the groups of light-skinned men were permitted to enter without being asked to display membership cards.
It is the first time a Stockholm bar has been found guilty of ethnic discrimination.
"Hopefully this level of compensation will send out a warning signal to other nightclubs," said Wilhelmsson.
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The court ruled in favour of the five men having watched video footage they recorded at the time of the incident.
"I was convinced that the bar would be found guilty in light of the evidence the guys managed to come with up," said Anders Wilhelmsson, a legal expert from the office of the Obmudsman against Ethnic Discrimination.
The video recording showed a total of twelve friends, divided into four groups. Two of the groups were made up solely of men with light skin and light hair. The other two groups consisted of men with dark skin and dark hair.
All twelve of the men were sober and respectably dressed.
When the two groups of dark-skinned men made their way to the door they were told by bouncers that the club was full. Only people with membership cards would be admitted.
Soon afterwards, however, the groups of light-skinned men were permitted to enter without being asked to display membership cards.
It is the first time a Stockholm bar has been found guilty of ethnic discrimination.
"Hopefully this level of compensation will send out a warning signal to other nightclubs," said Wilhelmsson.
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