June 29, 2007
Diving Deeper Into the Union Pool Incident
Just when you thought the Union Pool drama was lost in the archives...today we received an email that was forwarded on to us by a reader. It was a public email from Union Pool to, apparently, their mailing list. We were not included on the email, and when we asked for a statement earlier this week - after emailing with one of the managers there - we weren't given one. Instead we were asked to apologize and were told "we are a bar that supports our community and in turn it should support us." After seeing these photos, we can't help but wonder that if this is how they serve the community, how should the community support them?
The public email that went out, which they asked we do not publish in full, said that "the security person never struck this man" and that they had been in touch with all parties involved. After reading the Union Pool email himself, the alleged victim in this case, Charlie Tu, has sent along photos of his injuries, and told us:
"I just read the release from Union Pool. It's totally untrue, what they described. I was punched in the face -- all over and now have problems with my vision. Here are the pics my friend Paul took...obviously punched and choked."
We've asked Union Pool again today if they would like to give a statement and they said: "I am continuing to investigate, learning new information and in the process of writing another e-mail. If the security person did in fact strike Charlie, then he won't be allowed to continue working with us, but I need to get a hold of him to confirm or deny this. Our intention is never to misrepresent a situation. just shed light on it."
We understand that in the midst of a late night at a crowded bar, it can be hard to get a story straight, especially when most eyewitnesses are drinking. It's good Union Pool is investigating it now, but it seems like they could have saved themselves some trouble if they investigated it from the get-go.
UPDATE: Looks like people have been commenting on some issues with Union Pool on Free Williamsburg since 2005.
More photos after the jump...
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Uh, shouldn't this guy file a police report??? instead of contacting gothamist?????
gothamist crime fighters!
It's funny how now you "understand" it can be hard to get a story straight and that you now praise UP for investigating when only a couple of days ago you seemed convinced that someone should lose their job based on one person's email. Even though the pics are distrubing, it seems the comments have taught you that reporting is about covering your bases and presenting multiple angles with at least an attempt at objectivity. Granted, you're bloggers, but I applaud you for realising that with the ability to broadcast news comes the responsibility of digging and backing up your statements. Even though your an events writer - try to apply that in the future.
Again, #1 is right - while UP news is relevant to Gothamist readers - like me - I'd like to know if Mr. Tu contacted the Cops before you. With evidence like above, I personally would have been at the hospital later that night, at local precinct house the next morning - no matter how much pain I was in - and at a laywer's office soon after. Going to a blog may be a good fifth or sixth step - but a lousy first one.
i did file a police report - but did not 'press charges'.
as far as i was concerned - all this stuff was over and i was cool with everything (after talking to management there).
but earlier today i was forwarded the email / press release that union pool sent out, finding that it was mostly false - their claims that i was NEVER punched, beat up or had a finger laid on me.
this is the FIRST time ive ever contacted a blog myself.
getting beat up sucks. getting beat up and having the person(s) involved saying it didnt happen ... sucks even more.
- charlietu@gmail.com
ps
actually, not having health insurance sucks just as much too.
Union Pool sucks - a friend's drink was dosed with roofies or ghb or something similar there, by an unknown individual - not NECESSARILY by staff...
I know this kid. He's an obnoxious asshole- especially when drunk. He had it coming.
okay, okay - so I wrote #3 and in #4 Mr. Tu explains how he did go to the cops. Yes, having no insurance does suck a big one - lived through 5 years and 2 health scares with none myself.
not "press charges"??? and "cool with" getting beaten after talking to some "manager"???? -- pfft, whateva I'm thru watching this one.
1. not having health insurance is your own problem. no one elses.
2. you filed a police report and did not press charges. why?
3. learn to defend yourself.
If this story doesn't interest Gothamist readers, then why are we reading it right now? I live in Williamsburg and I am glad to hear that violent bouncers can't just get away this type of thing. Its also getting harder for organizations to gloss over mishandled incidents like this one because of sites like Gothamist and the rich discourse it hosts. I for one think this makes the world a much better place. That bouncer deserves to be fired for his lack of restraint. Anyone have mobile phone camera action takes on this?
drunks are supposed to be out of control assholes. security guards aren't. so what if this fellow is an asshole when he is drunk? i could see that justifying some patron he annoyed decking him, but not a bouncer. he can drag him outside. that's all. charlie should sue for his medical bills - and his recovery should be limited to his medical bills. he seems to have contributed to this situation, but the bouncer had a duty not to take the bait.
playing devil's advocate here:
maybe, the bouncer was self defending himself. maybe charlie really is an asshole and lunged at the bouncer... maybe the bouncer wasn't really the bouncer, but just a big dude. there are a lot of big dudes out there, but they're not necessarily bouncers.
I know #6, he's a flack for Union Pool.
#3/#7: The paragraph that includes the word "understand" hardly lets UP off the hook, going on to say, "it seems like they could have saved themselves some trouble if they investigated it from the get-go." And if you go back and read the original post on this, Jen was simply reporting on a story that was developing with as much info as she had, in what reads as a reasonably circumspect tone, given the allegations. She also dutifully sought out the other side of the story from Union Pool and they were unresponsive. Had she waited to post the story before hearing from them, we'd probably still be waiting.(We now know why.)
That the manager at Union Pool went on to try and cover up what happened, after all that pious talk about how "the community should support us" is particularly galling. That place makes money hand over fist. The LEAST they can do, now that they're being publicly forced to address the incident, is pay for the guy's medical bills.
I am TIRED of the claim that since he was an 'obnoxious asshole' to the bouncer's face that he deserved what he got: reality check, BUDDY: bouncers are not prison wardens and should beat and strangle an aggressor. they are set there to do away with riff raff forcefully and with as little commotion as possible.
"not having health insurance is your own problem. no one elses?"
republican!
i have to agree with #11, 100%!
Everyone assumes that post number 4 is the actual person. Could be anyone in this anonymous setting.
Whatever. I certainly won't go there again.
Why does Union Pool the bar in Williamsburg still have a racist, violent bouncer still on the payroll?
Why does Union Pool the bar in Williamsburg allow racist violent bouncers who beat up customers working currently?
Why does Union Pool have it's flacks and flunkies troll the Gothamist board when it comes to incidents of racist violent bouncers who beat up customers?
Why is Union Pool management not fess up to the truth and do the right thing?
Yes... get off your high horse and get a job with health insurance like we adults have done.
Also... stop getting drunk and provoking people. I have been getting plastered in bars near and far, gay/straight, black/white, northern/southern for more than 20 years. NEVER have I been beaten by a bouncer.
funny thing, health insurance in this nation has nothing to do with republicans or dems or libs not supporting it... but obviously an ignoramos like yourself wouldn't know that. also, try signing in a real user andf not hiding your 2nd grade brain behind "guest".
i dont know how to use the internets as much as you so i can only handle guest, what does it matter anyway, regardless: most republicans feel that lazy asses dont deserve health insurance, only those who work.
That's because the bouncers at Union Pool, the bar in Williamsburg hires racist bouncers with violent tendencies and are prone to beating up customers.
Even when customers are not doing anything to provoke the violent bouncer at Union Pool, the bar in Williamsburg.
government subsidized health care does have a hell of a lot to do with politicos not supporting it; but obviously an ignoramous like yourself chooses to shirk that fact...and edEx just because you have a registered account on here doesnt mean youre not hiding as well; I certainly cant look up edEx in the phone book.
#20 it's clear charlie has self entitlement issues. maybe mommy didn't coddle him as a baby—this could also be why he has no health insurance.
health insurance isn't free in most nations. the idea that it is absurd. and if it is free, you can guarantee the medical practices are far below par. why the hell do you think many people come to the US for medical treatment?
I feel like I'm watching the local nightly news. Sensationalism gone through the roof.
I like how the same blog that has reported extensively on separate incidents were different bouncers around the city got in fights, shot patrons, and abducted and raped a patron, has people outraged and shocked that a bouncer beat someone up.
Seriously? Has no one ever heard about bouncers beating up obnoxious patrons? Even bouncers at big corporate venues like House of Blues and *corporate name here* pavilions are notorious for this.
One fucking kid gets beat up by a bouncer in Brooklyn. Get over it.
you should of made hell and press charges. no wonder they like to pick on asian guys.
jesus christ, again with the why does blankity blanks come to this Great nation of ours excuse again.
one should ask, why does Union Pool, the bar in Williamsburg, hire and retain racist bouncers with violent tendencies and beat up patrons who has no Health Insurance?
add in, America, the Greatest country in the world.
" Has no one ever heard about bouncers beating up obnoxious patrons? Even bouncers at big corporate venues like House of Blues and *corporate name here* pavilions are notorious for this."
and it is WRONG of them to go to those lengths. I disagree that these notorious actions of bouncers in THOSE place and anywhere for that matter are the professional duties of a bouncer; they are not. order out of chaos not disordering the scene.
I've seen Charlie on television before. He was the spokesperson for the ACLU, at least he was last year. And I certainly hope the ACLU gives their employees health insurance. Still, I feel bad about everything that happened to him.
And yes, "one fucking kid gets beat up by a bouncer in brooklyn, get over it" ... but that next person could be you.
shoulda light that place up, in more ways than 1.
No health insurance, HOW DARE HE! He should of stayed home if you don't have insurance.
The NERVE of Him!
that's sarcasm.
A lot of my gay friends have been telling me for months that union pool was full of homophobic assholes. I didn't believe it until now. I won't drink there again. I'll spend my money in one of the other thousands of bars in NYC.
3. learn to defend yourself.
Oh yeah, tough guy? I'm pretty sure you would not fare well with a group of bouncers. You flatten one, they all start a group beat down.
I've been to UP. I am asian. I am gay. I live in Wburg. I am uninsured (for a few more days at least). If a bouncer did to me what you claim those photos are a result of, no way in hell would I not file charges.
Union Pool would have to lick my bum and buy me one of those new wburg riverfront condos (with manhattan view, hey...might as well join them) for me NOT to file charges. And it's also just the right thing to do if I felt like I was not at fault. Think of it this way- it would be the 'cool' thing to do.
Charlie, you're cute. Korean?
hahaha, he's mixed japanese and chinese and drools over emo boys!
i'm not a tough guy, but i sure as shit can defend myself and i have friends that wouldn't run away from an attack. this story isn't about a group of bouncers, it's about one bouncer, if he was a bouncer at all, like i said, it could have been a big guy...
#24: i didn't say it has nothing to do with politics, you singled out republicans which i can understand, yoiu think all the ills are republican related. idiot. i can tell you however that government subsidized health care sucks. i'd rather pay for it either thru my job or union.
it's funny how someone like yourself with so much distaste for the US gov't wants the US gov't to pay for health care... hilarious. pick a side douch bag... pick a side.
...and he likes it rough.
For someone who was "beat bloody" there are certainly a distinct lack of cuts and bruises.
uuuhhh, tkaisen (dumbass), lets see you get hit like this (in the pic) and see if youre fine with it
Actually Ed, that wasnt me who posted earlier about republicans and healthcare. I was just picking apart your argument, and mainly giving you a hard time for calling people out for not using an "alias".
How by the way can you tell me that gov't subsidized health care sucks? Just because full-fledged subsidization doesnt work in other countries doesnt mean partially-subsidized health care wouldnt work here. My main point being that any help is better than none.
Who put those words into your mouth? That blood-sucking union you're a part of?
you guys need to watch Sicko, the american healthcare system is fucked. maybe we should have never succeeded from the UK.....
If this guy was straight, the identity politics mafia wouldn't give a shit. File a police report, sue their asses off, do whatever you need to do to get justice...just don't imply that your ass is different than anyone else's simply because you're gay.
I didn't know he was gay. unless Union Pool suddenly became a gay bar.
but now that you've mentioned it,
Why does Union Pool, bar in Williamsburg, still keep a bouncer who beat up a patron, A patron who is Gay, are they Homophobic?
We know they hire racists and applicants who have a tendency to beat up patrons. Those are the bouncers.
when did racism ever come into this conversation?
WHY IN THE NAME OF GOD DID YOU NOT PRESS CHARGES?????? WERE YOU DRUNK THEN TOO??
press charges
how do we know UP hires racists? There's absolutely no proof of that anywhere. You commenters are far too provincal to understand that racism really isn't a part of the rarefied nightlife New Yorker's have constructed for themselves. The patrons at UP are a relatively diverse bunch and the place is run by a progressive management - otherwise the patrons would be a very different breed. Always when I go there, the bouncer is either a 250-pound b-boy in a hoodie with a couple of chains or a 250-pound metalhead with tats talking to a 250-pound b-boy with a hoodie.
In New York, we've created communities where racists don't go because they don't want to go there. Bars that cater to New York progressives hire bouncers to match the customers. I know as I've worked at a number of bars with number of bouncers. If they mess someone up, it's usually because they're an ass who enjoys a fight now and then - not because they're a racist.
It's a hipster bar in a hipster section of a hipster burg in New York City. I guarentee you it's harder to find a genuine racist in those parts than it is to find an Asian twink without health insurance.
Wanna bet?
Gee, transplants not racist? well golly gee.
wait, that's the other victim coming forward.
49 - I have absolutely no idea what you're trying to say - but yeah - most people who hang at places like Union are okay with being in the same room as other races. To accuse people who moved to New York of being racist because.... well I don't know what your point is actually. I'm racist because I come from PA? Someone is racist because they come from East New York?
You're not tracking.
PA has the highest number of white supremacy groups, second i Ohio.
I don't care if you're a racist but why did Union Pool hire a racist homophobic bouncer who would crack you skull at a blink of an eye??????
Again, I'm from PA - I'm NOT a racist and to imply that I am just because I come from the same place as some other racists is probably a little nuts - just like you.
Union Pool is a boring bucket of snakes anyway. Gross.
I said, I don't care if you're a racist.
I just said, PA has the largest number of White nationalist groups/skinheads/aryan nation than any souther state.
Second was Ohio, I would of said WV but I knew there's shit going on in Ohio, the love to kill black folks.
I wouldn't be surprised if the patrons of Union Pool are racists. and, it's so easy to prove, too. and they don't even need to be drunk because we all know who much leaks out when you're drunk.
Word of advice...
If you get beat up, robbed, raped... what have you — contact the NYPD. Do this immediately. Demand that the crime (yes, these are crimes) are further investigated, that police collect the facts. Get witnesses to give statements. Seems easy enough in this case. Obviously the UP managers and staff know who the bouncer is and the victim has friends who are witnesses. There are always a ton of cops sitting outside of Kellogg's right around the corner.
If you feel you've been the victim of a crime, especially a hate crime, file a report. As we all know that the NYPD does not have a good reputation (I have had horrific experiences myself), be sure to get a copy of your report, the name and number of someone to follow up with. And follow up. Obviously, you will be hurt and traumatized, so enlist a friend's help.
Create a paper trail. Chances are, if someone victimized you, assaulted you, beat you up, robbed you — they are going to do it again. Get legal help. Here are some resources:
NYS Crime Victims Board
55 Hanson Place, 10th Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11217
(718) 923-4325
(800) 247-8035
NY Crime Victims' Rights - http://crime.about.com/od/victims/qt/victims_ny.htm
Free Legal Services in NYC