An Idaho bar owner who posted a promotion online offering free beer to patrons who help ICE crack down on documented immigrants said he received death threats from the public.
“Reminder: Anyone who helps ICE identify and ultimately deport illegal immigrants from Idaho can receive a month of free beer at the Old State Saloon!” Eagle Old State Saloon owner Mark Fitzpatrick wrote in a message posted on X (Twitter) on November 29.
Subsequent messages posted a voicemail number and email address for customers to call with tips and saw Fitzpatrick slam Facebook for removing his offer from its platform.
This year, ICE raids on undocumented immigrants have sparked protests across the country (AP)
The initial post was eventually seen by 8 million people on X after being retweeted by the Department of Homeland Security, but as the attention grew, Fitzpatrick’s life was threatened and his business threatened to burn down, he told Fox Digital News.
“At Old State Salon, we are no strangers to speaking out about conservative Christian values and truths and bringing the truth to the public,” Fitzpatrick told Fox, adding that he was well aware that speaking out in a world filled with “deception” and “evil” could be “very disturbing” to people.
“All liberals want to do is attack you,” he said. “They go on the attack and start insulting you. People literally say I should die for this. It’s really, really despicable.”
Fitzpatrick said the abuse he’s attracted has been online, but “if these liberals actually came in and were willing to talk,” they would find him as someone who “would sit down with them and talk to them and listen to what they have to say.”
Idaho bar owner Mark Fitzpatrick tells Fox News Digital he received death threats over free beer promotion he started encouraging support for ICE’s immigration crackdown (Fox News Digital)
The Old State Saloon, which previously hosted “Straight Awesome Month” as a pushback against Pride and launched a “Make America Great Again Signature Cocktail Menu,” is now offering a number of other promotions tied to the Trump administration’s illegal immigration raids.
On “Macho America Mondays,” men who say they support ICE can get a free beer, while women who are ready to “chitchat” about immigrants can get discounted drinks on “Ladies’ I Gotta Tell’ Tuesday.”
Heterosexual couples who participate in Whistle Wednesday also receive a 10% discount.
Fitzpatrick told Fox he believes the trolls his promotion has attracted are “kind of exposing their evil right to us in public and showing us who they are,” adding that he has “overwhelming support” from conservatives.
“In my salon, when I’m there after a long day of dealing with evil and all the phone calls and stuff, people are there and they just come in and see me and support me and encourage me,” he said.
Acknowledging that he thought the issue he was bringing attention to “actually had nothing to do with beer,” Fitzpatrick explained: “I think what it does is bring attention to the issue and have a conversation.”