Police investigation clears Cape Town pub owners of racism allegations

23 August 2023

After an extensive nine-month investigation, Cape Town authorities have concluded that the allegations of racism against Hank's Olde Irish Pub on Bree Street were fabricated by individuals seeking to exploit a situation for personal gain. The incident, which initially garnered significant attention on social media and in the press, involved claims of racial discrimination against Thabiso Danca, a 25-year-old individual who was allegedly denied entry to the pub based on his skin colour.

The investigation uncovered that Danca and his friend Christopher Logan were responsible for creating a false narrative surrounding the incident. Danca alleged he was barred from entering Hank's due to his race, which was proven unfounded. Police's investigation found that on the night of 01 December 2022, the door personnel requested Danca's identification to verify his age; Frank’s door policy is not under 21; he failed to produce a valid ID and was denied entry to the pub.

The situation escalated when Danca's friends, who had already gained entry to the pub, confronted the door personnel, alleging racial discrimination. However, upon clarification by the pub's staff and verification of Danca's age, he was permitted to join his friends.

However, Logan, an 'anti-racist' social media influencer and friend of Danca, who was not present that evening nor witnessed the incident, decided to call out the pub for racism publicly. Logan confronted the staff at Hank's the following day, and despite efforts to calmly explain the facts, he became physically aggressive and was removed from the premises. The pub's CCTV footage used in the police investigation would show that Logan instigated the altercation.

A video released by Logan on social media and used by the press would depict a confrontational altercation between him and the pub's staff. However, it omitted the video footage that showed Logan initiating the confrontation. The owners of Hank's have since found that a professional editor and videographer manipulated the video to portray a skewed version of events.

Owner of Hank's, Johnny Papadakis, expressed the false accusation of racism has had a significant negative impact on the business and reputation. He stated that the allegations triggered public outrage, leading to protests and threats of violence from political parties, which would force Hank's to temporarily close its doors, causing financial hardship for both the business and its employees.

The police's investigation has concluded, and all charges against Hank's Olde Irish Pub have been dropped. The pub's owners are now committed to rebuilding their business and reaffirming their decades-long commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all patrons.

Papadakis confirms that in efforts to restore the pub's reputation, he is pursuing civil and criminal litigation against Danca and Logan. "We chose to wait for the completion of the police investigation before addressing the accusations publicly, aiming to present the facts and correct the misleading narrative perpetuated on social media," concludes Papadakis.

Issued by Hank's Olde Irish Pub, 23 August 2023