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Residents and students call on Evanston officials to condemn anti‑Black harassment at Table 2 Sticks
Summary
Multiple public commenters urged the city to condemn and respond to an incident at Table 2 Sticks and to adopt stronger accountability measures for businesses accused of racial harassment.
Several residents and Northwestern students used public comment at the Evanston City Council meeting to demand an official response after an incident at a local restaurant they described as anti‑Black harassment.
Roy Zhu, a graduating Northwestern senior, told council: “Evanston is a city that lifts itself up through performative measures, like passing limited reparations for Black homeowners, while refusing to help low‑income Black and brown tenants.” Zhu urged the council to “establish guidelines for revoking business licenses from owners who repeatedly violate community standards and release a statement condemning anti‑Blackness.”
Sanjana Rajesh, a senior at Northwestern, described the incident in which an employee allegedly chased and harassed a young Black man for not tipping enough and tied the episode to broader concerns about housing insecurity, policing and workplace discrimination. “No one from the city council released a statement condemning Chau's actions,” Rajesh said, calling for accountability and material policy changes to address anti‑Blackness in Evanston.
Other commenters asked why the city had been silent after the widely shared incident and urged elected officials, including the mayor and aldermen, to facilitate community dialogue and take concrete steps to prevent similar incidents. Speakers recommended that the city consider stricter rules for business conduct, relocation assistance when businesses relocate low‑income tenants, and clearer enforcement options for repeated violations.
Outcome: The comments were part of the public comment period; no formal council action or resolution condemning the incident was recorded during the meeting. Several council members acknowledged the concerns and said they would review the issues raised and consider follow‑up avenues.
Why it matters: Commenters argued the episode is part of a pattern of disparate treatment and discrimination they say affects Black residents' safety and access to services in Evanston; the remarks add public pressure on council to consider policy responses or statements of condemnation.
