Zia Khan, the director of the Islamic center, said: “It’s not like ‘Oh, why all of a sudden?’ Because we tried to deal with it on a neighbourly basis. We went to [the brewery] umpteen number of times.”
Yet Joshua Counsil, one of the co-founders of Good Robot, “said he believed the relationship with the centre had been cordial.”
One of those two men is lying. There is no way to tell which one, but there is this:
“Khan said others in the area have called police to complain about the brewery, though he said the centre has not.
“Halifax Regional Police said it has received one call regarding Good Robot — a noise complaint in July.”
And then there is the Islamic supremacist assumption that non-Muslims must conform in all times and places to Islamic sensibilities. Khan is already crying “Islamophobia,” but that is an empty charge, as that supremacist imperative actually exists, and should also be considered when evaluating this case.
“Islamic centre wants Good Robot’s liquor licence revoked,” by Anjuli Patil, CBC News, October 17, 2016:
Members of the Centre for Islamic Development on Robie Street say they’re sick and tired of beer bottles, cigarette butts, marijuana smells, loitering, vandalism, vomiting, urination and loud noise they say is coming from the next door business, Good Robot Brewing Company.
“At one time the noise was so unbearable we couldn’t walk in the hallway. They’ve had marijuana smoking right in our vestibules, right in our doorways so it goes all throughout the premises,” said Zia Khan, the director of the centre.
“We find vomit in front of our doorways — not every morning. We find urine, we find beer bottles smashed.”
The centre, which has been in the neighbourhood close to two decades, filed a complaint against the bar and brewery with the alcohol and gaming division of Service Nova Scotia on Sept. 28. The centre wants the brewery’s liquor licence revoked.
Khan said the centre has also been taking pictures of the infractions.
‘Urinating, vomiting, you name it’“In the bylaw, when it says you don’t have any access to peace and enjoyment of your own property, then one of the reasons to actually retract the licence is that,” said Khan.
“Urinating, vomiting, you name it. It was a big party right in our doorways.”
Prior to the formal complaint, Khan said representatives with the centre met with brewery staff to talk about noise and mess issues. He said he was assured that something would be done, but said it’s gotten worse.
“The music is so loud that we’ve had to put insulation in our windows and even then the beat of the music actually comes inside so we can’t even have a meeting or can’t talk or do anything,” he said.
“It’s like having a blaring radio station that you don’t like.”
Good Robot brewery bylawThe Good Robot Brewing Company opened next to the centre on May 9, 2015. Its tap room opened that December and the beer garden opened in May 2016.
Khan said others in the area have called police to complain about the brewery, though he said the centre has not.
Halifax Regional Police said it has received one call regarding Good Robot — a noise complaint in July….
Joshua Counsil, one of the co-founders of Good Robot, said the brewery is taking the accusations from the Islamic centre “very seriously.” Counsil said he learned about formal complaint to Service Nova Scotia late last week.
“The three co-founders and our legal representation are looking at the individual matters and we’re going to come up with solutions that work for everyone,” said Counsil.
“We’re just trying to go about this as diplomatically as possible.”
Counsil said he believed the relationship with the centre had been cordial. The next step, he said, will be to reach out to the centre.
“We were very shocked at the whole thing and we’re hoping to have a sit down this week,” he said.
Xenophobic messagesSince news came out about the complaint, Khan said he received hurtful messages. He said the complaints have nothing to do with religion.
“They’re extremely like Islamophobic, xenophobic, kind of the idea of ‘Get used to our way of life’ and ‘You foreigners’ and ‘You Middle Easterners’ and we’re getting all kinds of nasty letters. People don’t realize it’s a bylaw issue,” he said.
“It’s not like ‘Oh, why all of a sudden?’ Because we tried to deal with it on a neighbourly basis. We went to [the brewery] umpteen number of times.”