Henrietta Hudson, one of the oldest lesbian bars in the US, has filed a $40 million lawsuit against Anne Marie Siroun Bompart, whom they describe as an ‘angry woke‘ activist. The lawsuit comes after Bompart accused the bar of being racist, which the bar claims has caused significant damage to its reputation and business.
The Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit claims Bompart, who describes herself as half Middle Eastern but ‘white-presenting,’ accused the bar of being ‘very racist’ and ‘violent’ toward people of colour.
These accusations were shared via social media and private messages to at least 20 groups and DJs, some of whom cancelled planned events at the bar.
The bar’s founder, Lisa Cannistraci, said while talking to The Post “My reputation is something that was built over decades and decades, and I can’t allow — no matter how sick somebody is — I just can’t allow this to just go on and on.”
Bompart began with her social media rants after she was banned from the another West Village lesbian bar — Cubbyhole earlier in the year.
According to Henrietta Hudson’s events manager, Hutch Hutchinson, Bompart had sent over 100 emails to Cubbyhole and allegedly threatened its management. This behaviour led both bars to temporarily ban her.
In response to these bans, Bompart began a social media campaign accusing both bars of racial discrimination referencing specific incidents, including a Yemeni friend who was allegedly shoved and had her ID taken away, and a Black lesbian who claimed she was banned for no reason.
Bompart also claimed that the bar strategically aims to maintain a predominantly white clientele.
Bompart also mocked the cease-and-desist letter sent by Cannistraci’s attorney, Thomas Shanahan. In an email to Thomas Shanahan, Bompart wrote that his letter constituted “racist harassment” and that she was planning on filing a police report.
“My mom is a lawyer btw so I don’t really care, go ahead and sue LMFAO,” another message to Shanahan read.
Shanahan criticised Bompart’s social media tactics saying, “This is becoming more of a norm where people who have gripes — they take to this alternate universe of social media where people don’t fact check, they don’t do due diligence and a business that’s contributed to the community for 33 years really can be damaged by any kind of salacious, toxic posts that could arrive viral.”
Bompart, meanwhile, has indicated she might represent herself in court, stating she has all the time in the world to fight the lawsuit as she is unemployed.