New York’s Brooklyn Mirage Defends its ‘No Jab – No Entry’ Policy

New York’s Brooklyn Mirage is defending its ‘no jab – no entry’ policy. The outdoor club, part of the Avant Gardner events venue, will re-open with Claude von Stroke’s Dirtybird BBQ. Only fully vaccinated clubbers will gain entry.

“We’ve all been waiting for this moment,” said The Brooklyn Mirage team. “To experience the music we love, dance, express ourselves and once again enjoy the feeling of togetherness.”

Outrage

While some welcomed the ‘no vaccine – no entry policy’, it sparked outrage among others. Hundreds of clubbers bombarded the club’s Facebook page with their views. On one side of the fence, clubbers praised the club’s stance, saying they were excited to get back onto the dancefloor. On the other, clubbers called out The Brooklyn Mirage for discrimination. Predicting the policy will decimate crowd numbers, some patrons said it marked the beginning of the end for the club.

State Law

The Brooklyn Mirage defended its stance. “We did not invent this policy,” it said. The club revealed state law dictates guests must be fully vaccinated in order for the venue to operate at full capacity. Alternative state restrictions to accommodate non-vaccinated guests make it “impossible to operate a standing and dancing venue like ours”.

A statement from the club reads: “We recognise that many of you were disappointed and frustrated by this vaccine policy. It’s important for us to let you know that we fully respect everyone’s beliefs, feelings and opinions on this topic.

“We miss dancing with you, we miss the shows, we miss our community. The decision was either to remain closed until these regulations were changed and restrictions lifted further or to re-open with what we hope is only a short-term and temporary policy. As New York continues to heal, we are confident state restrictions will ease. We remain hopeful that we’re able to celebrate this summer with all of you.”

Line-Up

After Claude von Stroke’s Dirtybird BBQ on 30 June, the July line-up at The Brooklyn Mirage is shaping up nicely. Forthcoming guest DJs include Meduza, Black Coffee, Chris Lake and Sasha and Digweed.

Main photo: Dean McColl

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