HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The City of Huntsville filed suit against Malcolm Gopher and the 708 Bar and Grill business owners in May, citing several incidents of gun-related violence, assaults, and drug-related activity. The city filed an injunction that shut the bar down.
On Monday, City Attorney Trey Riley made the statement in support of a preliminary injunction, saying that the closing of 708 Bar & Grill “may have already saved lives.”
Riley has asked the city council to bar Gopher from speaking about the court case during city council meetings. Gopher said that Riley may have a separate agenda that’s unrelated to the court-imposed injunction.
“I feel like the city attorney is just making those statements are far-fetched. How many people have died in 708? Is he really saving lives or destroying a black business?” Gopher said.
Gopher said there has been only one fatality during his years of ownership of 708. He maintains that there is no reason to chain the doors, a decision that he said has caused financial setbacks to him and the families of his employees.
“It’s been some type of business here since 1956. I could see if the city’s attorney had solutions, but once again, they never come with any solutions, so the solution is to close a black business down, and now, where do we go from here?” Gopher asked.
Supporters like Kyle Jennings say that criticism of the bar and its owners is unwarranted, saying that other establishments with similar incidents have received preferential treatment.
“They didn’t close down Sammy T’s, they didn’t close down Twin Peaks, so it needs to be fair across the board,” Jennings said. “Mr. Riley, the things that you say about my people are dead wrong. We are getting tired of this man. It’s time to treat everybody equally.”
A Madison County Circuit judge heard arguments on October 15 on whether to reopen the bar, but has yet to issue a ruling.
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