Lake Worth bar claims discrimination after hosting gay and lesbian dances

LAKE WORTH, Fla. - Owners and customers of the Cottage Bar are upset with Lake Worth City Manager Susan Stanton.

They say she along with a commissioner and other residents have filed several complaints against the business for noise after it began hosting dances for gays and lesbians.

The bar and its patrons accused the city of discrimination.

A petition in support of the bar was started online and over 1,300 signatures have been gathered.

The petitioners plan to address the city commission at Tuesday night's meeting.

A rally was scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

The Palm Beach Post reports that Stanton denied the allegations in a March 31 memo to the mayor and city commissioners.

“I want to state, categorically and unequivocally, that neither the City of Lake Worth, nor I as city manager, have engaged in any form of harassment regarding the enforcement of the city’s noise ordinance,” Stanton said in the memo.