MONTREAL — Quebec’s liquor board has told owners of a Montreal bar they must ban live rap and hip-hop music to obtain a liquor licence, according The Canadian Press.
Owners of Le Pionnier, a Montreal-based restaurant, who hoped to obtain a liquor licence, were surprised to learn the news. “My first reaction was [that] it’s very discriminatory,” Diane Marois, who co-owns the bar with her husband, Ron Bracken, told The Canadian Press.Joyce Tremblay of the liquor board said local police have asked the board to include the clause because of gang-related concerns. In January, Marois booked a well-known rap artist to play, while in the process of transferring the permit over from the previous licence holder, but the regulator revoked the licence, saying it was not valid.
Patrons are protesting the ban, and a Facebook page, which has attracting nearly 250 followers, has already been created. Le Pionnier is currently operating with a temporary licence
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