Question of the day: is it possible to go to bars and restaurants in a military uniform?

Julia Suntsova

In June, in the Voronezh bar, Nikita, the manager, gave an order to the guard not to let a visitor in a military uniform. A company was waiting for a participant in the bar, who was enraged by such a dress code and filmed the conflict on video.

«Unfortunately, we do not allow people in military uniforms. If there are documents during execution, please tell us that you came to us for some purpose, and not to rest, » the manager explains the rules.

However, a couple of days later, the same manager Nikita was already apologizing on camera to all the participants of his act, and the bar itself announced an action for the military, promising them free tinctures and treats.

And today it became known that men in camouflage who called themselves the «people's defense of the Voronezh Region» showed up at the bar. They demanded to give them the manager's contacts. What for? The leader of the group, Alexander Mosolov, announced his intention to «facilitate the sending of the manager to the army» or to the exercises of «terroborona» as corrective measures.

The bar administrator replied that the institution does not disclose the personal data of former employees. The girl clarified that the manager, who did not let the participant in his own, was fired for that incident.

Also, the representative of the «Rushed» bar added that at that time, such rules regarding people in uniform were really in effect inside the institution. However, now they have been revised, and the bar will gladly accept the military, restrictions on their appearance have been lifted.

Similar incidents have already come into focus in several cities.

In Orel in March of this year, employees of the cafe «At a halt» did not allow uniformed soldiers to have lunch at the institution, explaining that the soldiers were dirty. The governor of the region Andrey Klychkov personally apologized to the military, he also said that the military would go to a conversation with the owner of the cafe, accompanied by his adviser. The Investigative Committee immediately initiated a check.

In November 2022 in In Saratov, a visitor in military uniform was not allowed into the Harat's pub bar. «We have a policy of the institution — we do not allow persons in uniform. Neither in the military, nor in sports, nor in medical, nor in fire. This dress code is written in our internal official documents, » the art director said.

The logic of prohibitions for drinking establishments

Patriotism is patriotism, but even in Soviet times, drinking establishments were forbidden to serve people in military uniform. The rule was prescribed in the statutes. Firstly, there is a certain risk. If a person is wearing a service uniform, it means that he is on duty, probably has a weapon with him. Where weapons intersect with alcohol, poorly managed conflicts can break out. Secondly, the question is, if you are on duty right now, then why are you not serving, but drinking? In all military units — state support with three meals a day, exhausted from hunger and thirst, the military should not exist in nature. The police used to catch the soldiers who were being held in cities. There was only one way to cross the threshold of an institution in uniform: you were doing some kind of official task there.

The rules for wearing military uniforms and combining this uniform with alcohol-related entertainment are stipulated in The Regulation «On military courtesy and behavior of military personnel» of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated 10.11.2007 N 1495 (ed. dated 31.07.2022) «On approval of the general military Charters of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation».

Thus, according to paragraph 72, «A sober lifestyle should be the daily norm of behavior of all military personnel. Appearing on the streets, in squares, parks, public vehicles, and other public places in a state of intoxication is a disciplinary offense that disgraces the honor and dignity of a serviceman.»

Paragraph 73 states that all military personnel, as well as citizens discharged from military service with the right to wear military uniforms, have the right to wear military uniforms. Military uniforms are worn strictly in accordance with the rules of wearing military uniforms and insignia determined by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.

In other words, you can come to a restaurant and a bar in a military uniform, but you can't get drunk in it! According to the army regulations, this is a disciplinary act that dishonors the honor of a serviceman and the entire army.

But no one will have any questions if they want to drink during their leave — they changed into civilian clothes, left their weapons and do whatever you want.

Why have the rules changed now?

The Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare of the Russian Federation (Rospotrebnadzor) explained to Novye Izvestia that denial of service due to clothing is very similar to discrimination, which has no normal arguments.

Catering organizations can develop their own internal rules. They list the cases in which the consumer should be refused to provide services, the rules also list persons who are not allowed on the territory of the bar, club, dining room.

— Restrictions are introduced in order to ensure the safety and quality of services. For example, a ban on smoking inside an institution, a ban on people being there in a state of alcoholic and narcotic intoxication. Such prohibitions are understandable to most people and will not cause a protest, which cannot be said about clothes. One can talk endlessly about appropriate and inappropriate clothes. Refusal to visit because of a military uniform is similar to discrimination — the question is always how justified the ban is, » Svetlana Smirnova, a representative of Rospotrebnadzor, explained to the special correspondent of NI.

The position of Rospotrebnadzor:

The legislation on the protection of consumer rights, including in the provision of catering services, does not establish mandatory requirements for the order and rules of wearing uniforms.

Rospotrebnadzor notes that catering organizations provide services on the basis of a public contract, under which, in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 426 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, an agreement concluded by a person engaged in entrepreneurial or other income-generating activities and establishing his obligation to sell goods or provide services to anyone who applies to it is recognized.

In this regard, these economic entities do not have the right to give preference to one person over another and are obliged to provide services to any consumer during the entire operating mode.

At the same time, it should be noted that the entrepreneur in accordance with paragraph 4 Regulation No. 1515 may independently establish rules for consumers that do not contradict the legislation of the Russian Federation.

The dispute about infringement of the consumer's right in each specific case is resolved by the court individually, taking into account all the factual circumstances, including from the point of view of assessing the quality and safety of the provision of services.

Alexander Zatulivetrov, a St. Petersburg restaurateur (now a hotelier in Cambodia), agrees with the arguments about discrimination:

 — Catering establishments for that and catering establishments: for the WHOLE SOCIETY. Of course, these are private institutions and they can refuse to visit for various reasons — as a rule, they do not allow people in alcohol and drug intoxication, rowdy people, people with inappropriate behavior — in a word, those who pose a danger to other guests. Not to let because of the form really looks like discrimination. With the appearance in general, you can go very far. Next — do not let in a tracksuit, kimono, because karate is equated to cold weapons. We will not let people with black beards go any further, because some terrorists had the same ones, and so on.

But by accepting people, the catering service seems to take responsibility for solving all the problems associated with all the risks. It's your client who comes in and sees that the halls are packed with people in camouflage, turns around and leaves. The company takes responsibility for this, too, » the entrepreneur explains.

Form to form — discord

The most frightening thing in this story is not that the participant of the special operation was not allowed into the bar, but who and how fit in for him.

— Most of all, I was enraged that bearded, strange-looking assistants in camouflage showed up at the institution and said that they would now take the manager to the army. They call themselves terroborona. But according to the law, the territorial defense is formed only during periods of martial law. So who are these impostors and why are they exploiting a completely illegal form of influence? A year ago, some Cossack formations appeared in the same way, which demanded all sorts of different drinking establishments. At this crazy time, when everyone is not allowed to let someone from everywhere, provoking, these public organizations with incomprehensible powers grow up like toadstools after the rain. That's the scariest thing! — says Alexander Zatulivetrov.

In the case of the manager Nikita from the Voronezh bar, these same social activists for some reason wanted to contribute to sending the guy to the army. And really, isn't this an abuse of authority by that very public organization and shouldn't this organization be deprived of accreditation and all kinds of legal rights for such recklessness and substitution of military administration bodies?

by the way

Soldiers in Israel have a special attitude in public places — almost parental. For 74 years, the state has been in constant confrontation with the armies of other states and assorted terrorists. The Israeli military is obliged to carry a weapon even on leave — the order is equivalent to an order.

At the central bus station in Jerusalem, the owner of the cafe offers military men pastries and coffee without payment. On the doors of his establishment is the slogan: «Soldier! Don't be shy! Come in, we'll feed you for free!»

Taxi drivers at the bus station in Rehovot hang signs on their cars: «I drive conscript soldiers for free.»

In stores, often someone ahead of the queue pays for the soldier and, despite the resistance of the soldier himself, the cashier adds the purchase to someone else's account.

Nevertheless, there have been cases when fellow citizens condemned the military for appearing in uniform in public places.

A few years ago, Carol Hilferich (Hilfrich), a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Humanities of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, demanded that a uniformed female soldier be removed from the audience. An Israeli woman, completed her army duty less than an hour ago and then went straight to a lecture.

The student was supported by the National Union of Israeli Students, who staged a demonstration with posters: «We welcome our soldiers, » «Honor to those who wear uniforms.» The rector's office of the university apologized to a student in a military uniform.

In one of the Haifa restaurants, the waiter also refused to serve a reservist soldier in an army uniform, but for this he was fired by the owner of the restaurant.

HELP «NI»

THE CHARTER OF THE INTERNAL SERVICE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

72. A sober lifestyle should be the daily norm of behavior of all military personnel. Appearing on the streets, in squares, parks, public vehicles, and other public places in a state of intoxication is a disciplinary offense that dishonors the honor and dignity of a serviceman.

73. Military uniforms and insignia are established for military personnel. All military personnel have the right to wear military uniforms, as well as citizens discharged from military service with the right to wear military uniforms. Military uniforms are worn strictly in accordance with the rules of wearing military uniforms and insignia determined by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation.

In other words: visiting restaurants by servicemen dressed in military uniforms for eating is not prohibited. However, it is impossible to drink alcoholic beverages at the same time.