Maggiano's In DC Apologizes After Hosting Alt-Right Event
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (CBSDFW.COM) - A Maggiano's Little Italy in Washington, D.C. issued an apology Monday after hosting an alt-right, white nationalist event whose participants offered praise of Adolf Hitler.
The dinner on Friday was sponsored by the National Policy Institute, a white nationalist organization that supported President-elect Donald Trump in the election and held a conference in D.C. to celebrate his victory, the Washington Post reported.
The Post article said protesters tried to confront people attending the dinner, but were forced out by police.
On Monday, Maggiano's apologized, saying it was "the inadvertent site" of the protest and that it closed the restaurant for the safety of its staff and guests.
The company said it would donated the profits from sales on Friday to the DC office of the Anti-Defamation League.
The Maggiano's Facebook post went on to say:
This was a last minute booking made Friday afternoon, and the reservation was made under a different name, therefore we were not aware that NPI was dining with us or what the group represents... We want to sincerely apologize to the community of Friendship Heights for inadvertently hosting this meeting, which resulted in hateful sentiment. We want you to know that at the suggestion of one of our Guests, we are donating the profits from our restaurant sales on Friday, $10,000, to the DC office of the Anti-Defamation League, which for decades has been working to bring people together in peace and understanding.
The Maggiano's chain is owned by Texas-based Brinker International.
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