West Hollywood Mayor John D’Amico issued a statement today condemning the forceful ejection of two transgender women and a gay man from the Las Perlas bar and restaurant in downtown Los Angeles that is said to be considering opening a location in West Hollywood.
“The City of West Hollywood has been made aware of an incident being investigated as a possible hate crime against members of the transgender community this past weekend at Las Perlas, a downtown Los Angeles restaurant,” D’Amico said. “The images in a video of the event posted online are alarming. My colleagues on the West Hollywood City Council and I have communicated with the City Manager and the City’s Economic Development Department about community concerns considering that Las Perlas is reportedly eyeing a location within the City of West Hollywood.
“ Currently, there are no official applications for a West Hollywood Las Perlas location. However, city staff has reached out to the restaurant’s management group to learn of future plans to expand to West Hollywood. While the city cannot stop a legal business from opening within its boundaries, we are renowned for our support of the transgender community and our commitment to diversity, acceptance, and inclusion. Opening a business in West Hollywood is one thing; gaining acceptance from the community is quite another.”
The incident happened as Bienestar Human Services, the Latino LGBTQ social services organization, was celebrating its participation in this past weekend’s DTLA Proud LGBT Pride festival. According to people on the scene, a couple at the bar shouted slurs at them, calling them “faggots” and saying to the transgender women “You are all dudes.”
The video posted on an earlier story on WEHOville and visible here, shows security staff forcibly removing the transgender women from the bar Reportedly a biological woman and a man who were slurring the transgender women were escorted out without any force.
The Los Angeles Police Department has filed a report calling the forcible removal a hate crime.
The owner of Las Perlas posted an apology for the incident on its Facebook page and said it was considering engaging another private security staff and conducting sensitivity training.
They should have been boot d out of the country and not only the DTLA restaurant.
all the nonsense that goes on in LA……..this is not a serious matter.
Is this a political shakedown?
They aren’t welcome in West Hollywood because they haven’t paid off the totally “pay for play” WEHO Student City Council.
They are not opening here it just an attention getting comment that did not deserve giving it more energy.
the mayor needs to focus on real issues. this was solved.
The security team has been replaced, stop trying to milk this.
So are you suggesting that news organizations should not report any updates just because you think it’s been resolved to your satisfaction? This only happened less than a week ago. I’m still interested.
Dear Las Petlas,
Just make donations to the city council campaigns. Very little will get you a lot in West Hollywood.
TS
I hope if they do come here, that they are good neighbors. If anything happens in weho like dtla, all you will hear will be crickets in their place.
Cedd Mosley has donated to a REPUBLICAN PAC to help elect Republicans. Trump is in our backyard Weho.
It is my belief that if Las Perlas donates to the campaigns of the Council members , they will be allowed here and be allowed variances to the master plan.
Did you even read the story? They can’t be stopped from opening a business in Weho. They don’t need to donate anything. Grow up.