"This is outrageous": Internet slams St. Louis as Bar:PM owner is served property condemnation notice after police crash

The internet has been left outraged at the city of St. Louis after it threatened Bar:PM owner with property commendation just weeks after a police vehicle crashed into it. On December 18, 2023, an SLPD officer crashed into the bar, located at 7109 S Broadway. While the building is reportedly boarded up due to the damage, it is still open to customers, as per the St. Louis Business Journal.

The officer claimed he was driving too close to a parked vehicle and got distracted by the police radio. In an attempt to correct himself, he lost control of the car.

The news went viral after @TizzyEnt shared the development on their Twitter account. He claimed that the responding officers allegedly asked the bar owners to show their identification. Upon refusing, they were allegedly "roughed up," arrested, and charged with a felony assault.

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As per bar owner Kevin Benear, just a day after the crash, he received a letter asking them to get the shop repaired by February 19 or face condemnation. Elaborating on the notice he told, First Alert 4:

"It was dated the 19th of December, the very next day, basically indicating that St. Louis is trying to beautify the neighborhood and make it a safe place, etcetera etcetera. And oh, by the way, you've got 60 days to get this repaired or you could face fines or condemnation."

According to BizJournals, St. Louis Building Commissioner, Frank Oswald clarified it was a generic letter citing the broken window and shifted wall that needs to be repaired. However, he explained, it did not mean the City was threatening condemnation without any code violation.

Despite the clarification, Twitterati was left angered by the actions of St. Louis authorities:

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @shibachiz)

Netizens harshly criticize St. Louis for Bar:PM notice

As news of St. Louis officials serving a property condemnation notice to the Bar:PM owner spread, internet users were quick to slam the city. While many highlighted the lack of accountability on the part of the city others called for Benear to take the issue to court. Here are some comments seen under @TizzyEnt's X post:

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @AuthorCreekmore)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @SethDibble)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @thisisrennah)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @SanBound)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @Barbara0699)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @UncleSamSpeaking)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @ailyhshaun_m)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @BuyItAllElon)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @IDreamWeave2)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @KarenHoward42)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @susanbeeha)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @myfathersb*stard)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @floyd_wiggy)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @HereLiesBlueDog)

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @MarilouBurnel)

While the original charge of a felony assault against Bar:PM co-owner, Chad Morris, was dropped, he is facing a misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest, as per the Riverfront Times.

About the author

Nirali has been a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda for the past 1.5 years, covering celebrity/influencer trends and profile/histories, political news, crime reports, and lifestyle. She completed her Bachelor's in Architecture from University of Mumbai and Masters in Heritage Conservation from University of Southern California. Professionally, Nirali has a strong 7.5-year experience working as an architect, an Assistant Archivist and a Digital Archivist across three companies.

Nirali’s educational qualifications and unique career trajectory put great emphasis on research and writing, which along with her personal interest in popular culture, led her to the current role at Sportskeeda. Her specialties are researching histories, crime stories, and developing general knowledge pieces.

The most crucial step in Nirali’s reporting is rigorous fact-checking, and she relies on information from primary sources only for her news. In the absence of a primary source, Nirali double, and even triple-checks information from multiple sources before presenting them to her readers. Strictly anti-AI, she believes in giving credits wherever necessary.

Nirali’s favorite celebrities are Mark Ruffalo and Dolly Parton, and she admires them for their support of humanity and advocacy for what is right. An avid reader, Nirali can be found nose-deep in a new book when she is away from her keyboard. Nirali also loves to illustrate in her free time.

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Edited by Upasya Bhowal