Massive backlash for ‘Proud Boys Burger’ at NJ eatery

🍴 Toms River restaurant burger had “cancel culture coleslaw”

🍴 Owner says the worker who came up with the burger has been fired

🍴 Burger’s name comes from extremist group

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TOMS RIVER — A restaurant in Ocean County is getting raked over the coals for a controversial menu option named after a far-right extremist group that played a part in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots.

The owner of Aqua Blu in Toms River said the Proud Boys Burger was a “mistake.”

Members of the Proud Boys were convicted of a plot to attack the U.S. Capitol to keep Donald Trump in power after his 2020 election loss. Leader Enrique Tarrio was convicted of seditious conspiracy but received a pardon from Trump along with 1,500 other protestors.

The Proud Boys Burger was offered at $12 for burger night on Thursday and photos of the listing have been spread across social media.

It included:

🍔 White American cheese;

🍔 Onion ring layers of truth;

🍔 Resilience pickles;

🍔 Freedom fries;

🍔 Cancel culture coleslaw; and

🍔 Liberty sauce.

Owner says they didn’t know about connection to hate group

The restaurant on Route 37 in Toms River has received more negative attention than ever, owner Cathy Varriale said to nj.com.

And she insists it was an honest mistake — she had no idea what the Proud Boys were until this past week.

“At Aqua Blu, we stand united against hate. We want to address and clarify that our post and burger name from yesterday was a mistake, and we sincerely apologize. We understand how it may have been interpreted, but it was never our intention nor what we stand for,” the restaurant said on social media.

According to the eatery, a member of the kitchen staff came up with the burger and put it on the menu.

The employee has been fired, Aqua Blu said.

“We are a longstanding family-run business with deep ties to the community and want to make it very clear that we and our establishment do not support any hate groups, nor do we condone hate speech in any form.”

Backlash for Proud Boys Burger

But the apology wasn’t enough for many on social media. Some have called for a boycott of the Jersey Shore eatery just before the bridge into Seaside Heights.

“Yes, they have since apologized and removed it from their menu. Is it because they no longer believe in hate? Or because they lost a TON of business?” one woman said.

“It is obvious from the description that it was done with great intent. Their mistake was in thinking they wouldn’t get called out on it,” said another.

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