COLUMBIA — Race Matters, Friends, is challenging the Missouri Attorney General Office's involvement in an ongoing dispute involving Reign Bar in downtown Columbia.
Race Matters, Friends, is a nonprofit that advocates for racial and social equity. It held a virtual briefing Monday arguing that local government is responsible for policing public streets and sidewalks downtown.
This comes after Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway demanded that Reign Bar, located in downtown Columbia, is responsible for a "persistent nuisance conditions and violence radiating from the establishment."
The Attorney General's Office pointed to several incidents near the bar since it opened late last year, referencing a large fight and a separate incident involving gunfire directly outside the bar.
Race Matters, Friends Vice President Traci Wilson-Kleekamp repeatedly pointed out in the briefing that Reign Bar is the only bar mentioned by name. She said she believes the city should put more focus into protecting each part of Columbia.
"Certain parts of the city that are being neglected are being hit much harder by homicides and gun violence," Wilson-Kleekamp said in the briefing. "Why are they spending millions on Flock but not homicides?"
Community advocate Erika Buford also said city leaders should focus on policing every part of Columbia, whether that is downtown or broader areas of Columbia.
"It's not just Ninth Street and Walnut, it's not just Reign Bar," Buford said. "We've got other places that need to be cleaned up, and have been suffering a whole lot longer than downtown."
Buford said she believes city leaders need to look at violence happening all over the city, not just downtown.
"Why aren't we trying to bring focus to all the violence in Columbia?" Buford asked. "Why are we just trying to focus on downtown? There's businesses all over Columbia."
Instead of Hanaway stepping in, Buford said she believes Columbia leaders should be leading the effort to decrease violent incidents.
"The attorney general should not be focusing on the local laws here," Buford said. "That should be something that the city council should be doing, and they're lacking on. I feel that they need to step up a little more than what they're doing."
KOMU 8 News reached out to the city of Columbia for a response on Race Matters, Friends' briefing.
A city spokesperson said the city has "no response or statement, other than to note that the City of Columbia has jurisdiction over local matters and treats all businesses fairly."
KOMU 8 News also reached out to the Missouri Attorney General Office but has not received a response.
"Instead of handing off local authority to the Missouri Attorney General or scapegoating Black-owned businesses, local leaders must manage public safety using fair, consistent standards and confront Columbia's long history of displacing Black communities and commerce," Race Matters, Friends wrote in its news release announcing the conference.
On Sept. 22, the attorney general's demand gave Reign Bar 14 days to submit a written plan to eliminate “nuisance conditions” in and around the establishment. If the bar fails to do so, Hanaway said it will face legal action.
The news release from Race Matters, Friends points to public safety issues around other establishments, naming Harpo's, Field House and the Blue Note.
Officials treat these events as "general nighttime activities" compared to Reign Bar, the group's release said.
Other groups including The District, which is downtown Columbia's community improvement district, businesses located around Reign Bar, First Ward City Council member Valerie Carroll and Mayor Barbara Buffaloe have expressed criticism of Hanaway's demands to Reign Bar.
