An Australian man is calling for an apology after he says he was asked to leave a well-known LGBTQ+ pub in Brisbane for wearing a “Trump 2024” hat.
Rob Holt, who attended The Wickham pub in Fortitude Valley with his family for a Halloween event on Sunday, claims that a staff member approached him and told him to leave. According to Holt, the employee said, “some people in here don’t feel safe and are a bit worried with you wearing that in here,” leaving him feeling “confused” and “embarrassed” by the encounter.
Holt told 9News that while he understands how his hat might be seen as controversial, particularly given former President Donald Trump’s track record on LGBTQ+ issues, he felt the action was unwarranted. He said he had been at the pub for several hours without incident before he was reportedly told, “you have to go.” Holt described it as an embarrassing moment, especially in front of his family, including his six-year-old daughter.
“She saw her father being kicked out of a place for what I believe is no valid reason,” Holt shared, calling the experience uncomfortable and unnecessary.
In an interview with Sky News, Holt expressed that he would understand being asked to leave if his hat had offensive language or inappropriate gestures. However, he argued that his “Trump 2024” cap had no such imagery or wording. Holt added that he would have removed the hat if he had been politely asked, saying, “If she had approached me and said, ‘Hey, some people here might feel a bit uncomfortable with your hat—would you consider taking it off?’ I would have removed it, though I probably would have asked her the reason,” Holt explained.
Now, Holt is hoping for an apology from The Wickham, a pub with a long-standing reputation as an LGBTQ+ venue, operating since the 1970s with a stated open-door policy on its website. However, he acknowledges, “that’s their choice,” in terms of whether they issue any apology. Attempts by Yahoo News to reach The Wickham for comment have yet to be answered.
This isn’t Holt’s first brush with controversy over his clothing. According to reports, Holt has previously attracted attention for his attire, including wearing an “All Lives Matter” shirt in 2020, a slogan seen as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement, which focuses on fighting racial injustice and police brutality.
This incident adds to the ongoing debate over how businesses navigate free expression in increasingly polarized political environments, especially in spaces that are meant to be safe havens for specific communities. Holt’s case also raises questions about whether certain messages, even in subtle forms like a campaign hat, have the potential to create discomfort or feelings of exclusion in inclusive spaces.
