When Alex Hanesakda saw the tragic news that eight people were shot and killed in Atlanta on March 16, and that six of them were Asian women, he knew it was time for him to speak out.
What he wrote in the post, he also submitted to the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (bit.ly/3dwZlBU). The editorial was titled: â âIâm done keeping my head down:â Why we must stop the hate against Asian Americans (and everyone else).â
âAt first, I was like, âDo I say something?â â Hanesakda said, recalling when he first started seeing more reports of the hate crimes. âBut then (the shooting) happened. That was the straw that broke the camelâs back for me.â
The move to outdoor dining posed other challenges too, such as keeping footpaths free and helping diners stay warm. “It’s very difficult to get heating outside,” the restaurateur said.
The owner says his restaurant on Baggot Street is now “fully covered and fully heated – and we’re really happy with that”.
Mr Cadden said he is hopeful that “restaurants being creative will be getting our heads together in the next couple of weeks” to try and plan something in Dublin that is similar to Cork’s Princes Street.
“When there’s a few restaurants together it can work really well – such as closing off streets,” he said.