A Korean-American Philadelphia City Councilman is leading a fight against an ordinance which some say unfairly targets Chinese restaurants in the city.
The ordinance bars restaurants from staying open past 11 p.m. in residential areas. Councilman David Oh and others have said Chinese takeout restaurants are repeatedly cited under the ordinance, while pizza shops that stay open late haven't been.
Oh is planning a rally against discrimination Thursday morning at City Hall.
"Since 2005, Chinese takeout restaurants have been unfairly and unconstitutionally forced to close at 11 p.m. while other businesses remain open," Oh said in a Facebook post promoting the rally. "Many Chinese takeout restaurants have been fined $2,000 simply for being open after 11 p.m."
Oh says that 96 percent of the 583 violations issued in 2015 went to Chinese takeouts. Many of the eateries go hit wit the maximum fine is $2,000, Oh's office said.
Philadelphia police Captain Sekou Kinebrew says a deputy police commissioner has suspended enforcement of the ordinance while City Council tries to rework the law and ensure it's not applied unfairly.
