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Minneapolis ordinance targets discriminatory bar dress codes

A Minneapolis committee unanimously approved an ordinance requiring any establishment that sells alcohol and maintains a dress code to post that dress code publicly and visibly.[1] The measure now heads to the full City Council next week.[1]

The ordinance is framed as a response to so-called "velvet rope" discrimination at bars and restaurants.[1]

In 2018, Mohamed "Mo" Osman, a Black man, was denied entry at Last Call Bar for wearing "baggy" jeans, an episode that sparked accusations of racially biased enforcement and helped fuel the push for clearer rules.[1]

Backers say visible dress-code postings will increase transparency and reduce subjective gatekeeping as the city debates the measure at full council next week.

  1. FOX 9
Local Government Public Safety Legal
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📌 Key Facts

  • The ordinance requires any Minneapolis establishment that sells alcohol and has a dress code to post that dress code publicly and visibly.
  • The measure was unanimously approved in committee and will go before the full City Council next week.
  • The push follows a 2018 incident at Last Call Bar where Mohamed “Mo” Osman, a Black man, was denied entry over “baggy” jeans, fueling claims of racially biased dress‑code enforcement.

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August 19, 2026