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Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
The owner of Tamboli’s Pizza & Pasta in Midtown Memphis denied service to four uniformed members of the National Guard deployed to the city as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force last week, sparking outrage from many members of the community and even some officials in the Trump administration.
Owner Miles Tamboli not only confirmed the decision to decline service, but then doubled down, saying he “stand[s] behind that decision completely.” He claims his refusal was not directed at the individual Guard members, but the general presence of the National Guard in Memphis, and he said their presence has made the city “harder to live in.”
“I love this country and I love this city, and that is exactly why I made this call. I want Memphis to be safe. Every business owner does. And the honest truth is that Memphis was already getting safer before this Task Force ever arrived…Its own records show that the overwhelming majority of its arrests began with routine traffic stops, not violent crime. Families in this city are now afraid to drive to work, afraid to take their kids to school, afraid to be seen. Our own schools reported that fear drove children to stop showing up to class,” Tamboli said in a statement which was later deleted from social media.
He added, “Being pro-safety means telling the truth about what actually protects a community, and it is not soldiers trained for combat doing the work of police officers. That mismatch is dangerous for the people of Memphis and dangerous for the troops themselves, who were sent here to do a job they were never trained to do.”
The controversial decision has drawn strong reactions from both supporters and detractors of Tamboli’s decision, but the restauranteur says he does not regret turning the service members away as he and other local businesses are united “in a public commitment to stand against the military policing our streets, an act of patriotism and conscience both, and I would make the same decision tomorrow.”
While state and federal laws do allow private businesses to refuse service based on customers’ occupations, both citizens and some lawmakers have pushed back on Tamboli’s decision, defending the honorable service of the military members.
Republican Rep. John Gillespie wrote in a Facebook post, “The National Guard has cut crime and saved hundreds of lives in Memphis. It is unconscionable they would be refused service by the very people they are here to protect. I’m fighting against this insanity to ensure Memphians are safe and our laws are enforced. Thank you to everyone who serves.”
The incident has drawn national attention, with several conservative commentators criticizing Tamboli and calling for boycotts of the restaurant. National watchdog Libs of TikTok drew attention to the situation , writing “Would be a shame if everyone in the area knew they kicked out U.S. servicemembers!”.
And U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan discussed the incident on Fox News, saying, “It’s disgusting. Has this guy ever served his nation? Has he ever strapped a gun to his hip and gone out to defend people he’ll never meet? National Guard are defending this nation…That pizza owner ought to be thanking them for making that city safe. So, it’s disgusting. But then again, it’s all based on hateful rhetoric from members of Congress who hate President Trump no matter what success he has.”
For now, the National Guard remains part of the Memphis Safe Task Force deployment as an ongoing lawsuit by several area Democrats seeks to challenge their presence in the city. An appeals court heard oral arguments in the case in early March, though it has not issued a timeline for issuing a written opinion.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
3 Responses
Leftists in places like Memphis elect leftist officeholders who turn their cities or counties into lawless zoos then my tax money has to be used for the federal government to come in to establish law-and-order – put me down as a “NO” on that one. This is caused by Trump being a big government right-wing populist rather than a conservative.
Similarly, Trump not being a conservative has caused him to encourage and support Lindsey Graham’s sister, who has no political record whatsoever, to not only finish out Lindsey’s current term, but for her to run for a new six year term, instead of supporting either of the two arch conservative SC congressmen who are currently in the race. In 2028 Ted Cruz and Ron DeSantis will almost certainly be running for President. Wouldn’t it be swell to have a real conservative President for a change?
You cannot fix stupid. This Tamboli is the reason Memphis has become a mess.
Boycott his business if you are a Patriot who lives TN and America. Tamboli is obviously a communist who needs to be shut down. If he won’t serve those who serve our country, he should serve NO ONE.
The restaurant has received so many bad reviews they are blocking reviews.