Watch: Arson Attack Targets Cars Parked at Popular Gay-Friendly LA Restaurant
An arsonist slashed tires and poured fuel over cars parked outside gay-friendly Los Angeles restaurant "Sorry Not Sorry" before setting the vehicles on fire in a property-damaging attack the establishment's general manager called "deliberate" and a "hate crime."
The restaurant's general manager, Brandon Waller, wondered whether the restaurant being an ally to the LGBTQ+ community has made it a target for anti-gay criminals.
It was only by a stroke of good fortune that no one was injured. The firebug struck even as a popular burlesque show was in progress inside the establishment, PerezHilton.com noted.
What's more, one of the cars the arsonist torched was parked in a highly dangerous spot. Bartender Logan Elliott told NBC Los Angeles that when he saw his car in flames, the thought that came to his mind was, "This is really bad, because my car is parked next to a cabinet full of propane tanks."
The fires were set "just a few feet away from our DJ, the performers, and our guests," a post written by Chef Kim Vu on the restaurant's Instagram said. "No one was hurt, but there was extensive property damage."
In total, the attacker burned the cars of three restaurant employees, local news station ABC 7 reported. PerezHilton.com relayed that "the bar manager at the time doused the flames with a fire extinguisher and called the fire department and police," but the perpetrator had already fled the scene.
Waller spoke to the planned nature of the attack, telling the media that the arsonist "poured accelerant on each of the car's hoods."
"How is that not deliberate?" Waller asked, before saying that he found it "impossible" not to think that "it's an intentional, targeted attack or hate crime."
It's also not the first time the establishment has been targeted. Waller detailed some of the other crimes that have been directed at the restaurant in comments to NBC Los Angeles.
"We had a swastika drawn in marker on the front of our restaurant. We had the word 'AIDS' drawn on the pole in front of our restaurant," Waller noted.
The GM also pointed out how easily the arson attack could have become a major tragedy. "If people had not noticed or smelled that burning rubber," he told NBC, "it could have been fatal."
But the restaurant is not about to change its welcoming attitude. "We're not going anywhere," Waller declared in comments to NBC Los Angeles, "we're not shutting down, we're not stopping anything."
"But we are taking better safety measures," Waller added.
NBC Los Angeles reported that the LAPD has "their major crimes detectives" working on the case. No arrests have been made yet.
The city's community swiftly rallied. "I will suggest we have work events at your place!" one person wrote in response to the restaurant's Instagram post.
Another posted that "Sorry Not Sorry has quickly become a staple to our UCLA MPP community! Will do our best to host happy hours in the near future here!"
"Supporting you guys till the end! I had my Barbie Bash at Sorry Not Sorry and we had a blast! Don't hesitate to have your event here y'all!" another said.
It wasn't just individuals who expressed their support.
"We would love to host a Butch Monthly meetup at Sorry Not Sorry!" responded Butch Monthly LA, which has described itself as "a group of butches, studs, tomboys, and mascs who come together in shared community and camaraderie."
"When are your next drag shows or other LGBTQ centered events?" Butch Monthly LA added in its post. "We will bring out a crowd! ❤️"
West Edge Design Fair added its own message of support, posting, "Would love to host a group dinner there next month."
Another response declared, "The intellectual hotties of the west side will be joining you for our book club on Friday in an effort to support!"
Watch the NBC Los Angeles news report below.