A viewing party of President Trump’s rally scheduled for Thursday evening at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Michigan was cancelled then swiftly reinstated after a public outcry.
The event, hosted by the Livingston County Republicans, was supposed to be hosted at the Buffalo Wild Wings in Howell, Michigan. The description for the Facebook event invited people to “join other Keep America Great loving patriots,” at the restaurant, where they would also be selling Trump 2020 gear.
However, Meghan Reckling, Chair of the LCRP, said in an email on Thursday that “after receiving a number of complaints,” the corporate office of Buffalo Wild Wings cancelled the event:
Due to the timing of the notice, we are unable to find a new location at this time. We are disappointed that Corporate waited until the last minute to make this decision. We are not surprised that those who do not agree with the President and his agenda would use their extreme tactics to bully businesses and try to limit our right to assemble. Regardless of their extreme tactics, we will continue our fight to win big here in Livingston County next fall!
Reckling encouraged members to contact Buffalo Wild Wings’s corporate offices to express their displeasure at its cancellation. The news was spread across Twitter by the Michigan GOP, and by Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman of the Republican Party:
It is sad that @BWWings would cave to political pressure and not allow the @LivingstonGOP to host their @realDonaldTrump watch party tonight. Civic engagement is a good thing. #LeadRight #TVMI2 https://t.co/dE3l8TBlzF
— Michigan GOP (@MIGOP) October 10, 2019
Just learned @BWWings cancelled a Michigan viewing party for @realDonaldTrump’s rally.
Call the restaurant 517-545-2100 and their corporate office 866-704-0777 & tell them the left’s cancel culture has gone too far.
The left’s tactics won’t stop us from keeping MI red in 2020!
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) October 10, 2019
Here we go again with the cancel culture!
It is disappointing that one of our county parties is forced to cancel their @realDonaldTrump rally watch party because of @BWWings political bias.
But it won’t stop us — we’ll still #LeadRight, and keep Livingston County RED in 2020! https://t.co/cGH1T8q10w
— Laura Cox (@MIGOPChair) October 10, 2019
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Many Twitter users were outraged at the decision:
Me & my daughters lacrosse team will not be eating there any more along with 5 other teams I just spoke to re @BWWings and their prejudice against @realDonaldTrump supporters! That’s a loss of 50+ people sometimes twice a week!! Hello @wingstop
— Brian Anthony (@realbrianthony) October 10, 2019
This is ridiculous decision @BWWings and shame on you for caving to pressure. #youlostacustomer https://t.co/VJ34a3tFST
— mlaskey (@mlaskey99) October 10, 2019
Phone number at the bottom .
Call & object, then add @BWWings to your boycott list…sad 😠 https://t.co/dNAsyjoBrH— LamedVav-loves Trump‼️Arrest Andrew Weismann‼️ (@Lamed_Vav) October 10, 2019
Within a couple of hours of the news initially breaking, and half an hour of it being spread online, Buffalo Wild Wings backtracked, and allowed the event to go ahead. In a post on Facebook, the LCRP thanked the community for their outpouring of support.
Thanks to your overwhelming response @BWWings is now allowing the @LivingstonGOP to hold their @realDonaldTrump watch party as scheduled.#LeadRight #TVMI20
If you wish to join sign up below ⤵️https://t.co/3WB8RBHjUM
— Michigan GOP (@MIGOP) October 10, 2019
Well that didn’t take long. https://t.co/1D3EwBH60Y
— Malachi Barrett (@PolarBarrett) October 10, 2019
National File contacted the corporate office for Buffalo Wild Wings, but did not receive a reply in time for publication. We will update this story if we receive a response.
