people off the premises.

Administrator at Oscar's, Ms Jennifer Simons was shocked to hear complaints by patron Mr. C.J. Williams.

Mr. Williams claims that on a number of occasions staff have approached him and his gay friends and asked them to leave the Victoria Street club.

"Since the re-opening of the bar, I know of three persons who were wrongfully approached by staff member.'' he said. "All three of these persons were gay -- two women and one man.

"One woman was simply dancing alone and was asked to leave. Not because she was interrupting any of the other patrons, but because she is gay.

"Another woman was asked to leave the club because, according to staff, she was sitting too close to another woman.

"On Hallowe'en Night an openly gay man, who happens to be a professional female impersonator, was grabbed by the arm by the bouncer and was told not to bring his friends there.'' Mr. Williams said he had heard about the matters but had not witnessed any until he attended Oscar's on December 3, when he was told that a bouncer had said: "We are trying to keep gays out of here.'' He said that many gay people were upset and had left the club.

"The following night there was an AIDS benefit for the Allen Vincent Smith Foundation and I again noticed the bouncer's attitude,'' said Mr. Williams.

"Then on Friday, December 10, I accompanied one of my closest, dearest friends, the female impersonator, to Oscar's.

"My friend and I have both gotten full-head, shoulder length, hair weaves. We had earlier attended the Christmas party of a local exempt company and no-one seemed to have a problem with our hair.

"At Oscar's my friend went onto the dance floor bothering no-one. When I looked over at him the bouncer was pulling on my friend's arm. "I went over there and the bouncer said: `You too! Let's go! Out!' He pointed to the door.

We decided to leave without causing trouble.

"My friend later told me that when the bouncer approached him he said that he did not appreciate my friend coming to Oscar's looking like a woman and went on to inform him that it was not Hallowe'en.'' Mr. Williams claimed white homosexuals were not harassed at the club but stressed that black gays tended to be more flamboyant.

He added: "Being gay in Bermuda is not illegal. Someone should inform the staff and management of Oscar's telling someone that they have to leave a bar because they are too feminine or they sit too close together is a violation of their human rights.

"And my advice to any present or future club owner is that if you are homophobic, to the point of alienating your customers, get out of the business.'' However, Ms Simons said she was amazed at the allegations by Mr. Williams. She said: "We have customers of all different races and all different lifestyles.

We hold no preferences or prejudices.'' She referred to the AIDS benefit which raised money for the Allen Vincent Smith Foundation, and noted there had also been a fashion show. On both occasions many of the audience had been homosexual.

"I think I know who Mr. Williams is,'' she said. "We had a disturbance involving a man and a woman recently. We asked them to leave and got the bouncer to help us. I think he was the man. I cannot remember any other trouble recently.''