Twelve25 Owner Speaks Out About Legal Battle Against Tuscaloosa
During an exclusive interview with 105.1 the Block's DreDay, 1225 Owner Jay Jarret gave new details on his recent legal battles against the City of Tuscaloosa.
Twelve25, a restaurant and sports bar that opened in 2020, is at the center of a shocking lawsuit against the City of Tuscaloosa filed last week that alleges racism, intimidation and more against Twelve25.
“It’s more than just this ordinance and we’re going to speak to it," said owner Jay Jarrett referring to an amendment the city council passed earlier this month that effectively cuts the occupancy limits of the establishment by 45% after 10 p.m
“Unfair treatment, the targeting, the intimidation, the harassment, It’s the things that the public I’m sure are not aware of, it’s the things that we have had to endure," said Jarrett during the interview.
"It’s the meetings that we have called with the mayor to talk about the unfair treatment. There’s things like that, that the city probably have no idea about. We’re going to speak to the truth, we’re going to speak to the facts and we’re going to let the city and the public know what has transpired since we’ve been there.”
Jarrett mentioned in the interview that patrons have had to endure being pepper sprayed by law enforcement and worse.
“That’s not right, it’s not fair. All we asked is to be treated fair. “
During the interview, Jarrett mentioned Tuscaloosa's Mayor Walt Maddox and the council, who were named individually in the lawsuit.
"They’re ok with our athletes playing football, scoring touchdowns. They’re ok with our athletes shooting ball, making dunks, shooting threes but they do not want our African Americans on the Strip.”
When asked about the lawsuit being dismissed, Jarrett was adamant that there is still a lawsuit against the city of Tuscaloosa.
“There’s still a lawsuit.”
He mentioned that the lawsuit was dismissed out of federal court to move it back to Tuscaloosa's circuit court.
“I want everybody to know that we have nothing against the City of Tuscaloosa. As a whole it’s been good to us. We come here in peace not trying to be disruptive. But we got to call out the inequity.”
Jarrett mentioned more details on how he believes black council members were misled when voting for the new ordinance and he spoke to how he feels Twelve25 is being targeted by the City of Tuscaloosa with this amended ordinance and more.
Listen to the full interview with Jay Jarrett, the owner of Twelve25 below.