M STREET — The Metropolitan Police Department temporarily suspended Rhino Bar & Pumphouse’s liquor license after undercover police officers discovered an over-21year old on the bar’s premises last weekend.
Rhino Bar & Pumphouse will be unable to serve alcohol for five days after the discovery of a 21 year old.
The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) Board announced the five revocation of the license this Monday as a part of the police’s ongoing “Keep Adults out of Underage Bars” program.
On Saturday night Plainclothes Detective David Carter, stationed within Rhino, approached two individuals whom he noted looked suspiciously mature.
“Upon asking for their identification, the two immediately handed me their IDs,” said Carter. “The first woman’s identification was clearly a poor forgery and she did not even know the printed address.”
Trouble began when Carter examined the second woman’s ID.
“I even called my partner [Detective Lydia Bransworth] to look at the ID, but we couldn’t find a single imperfection in it,” Carter said pantomiming holding the ID vibrating it to look for the holographic reflection.”
At the request of the police, the 21-year old immediately left the bar upon the confrontation.
The police declined to press charges or identify the individual “because of the embarrassing nature of the crime.”
In addition, the ABC Board fined Rhino $3,000, one thousand dollars for every month over 21 the patron was.
Rhino announced its plans to appeal the suspension on the basis that no reasonable 21 year old would attempt to enter the bar and, thus, the bar has a right to “not really check IDs since they’re all fake.”
“Obviously, Rhino is very troubled to hear that legal-aged individuals are breaking age-old social norms by patronizing our establishment,” said Owner Charles Britton Swan in statement following the license revocation. “We will continue to work with [the Metropolitan Police Department] to continue to enforce these norms.
General Manager George Kennedy said that there will be stricter guidelines to search for real IDs as well as increased scrutiny of mature facial features such as facial hair.
“Jesus Christ, just go to Tombs like a normal person,” added Swan.
