A popular restaurant in New Jersey featured a "Proud Boys Burger" on its menu with "white american" cheese and "liberty sauce," sparking outrage over its nod to the far-right extremist group linked to the Capitol riots.
On Thursday, Aqua Blu, a popular family-run eatery in Toms River known for its themed burger nights, introduced the Proud Boys Burger as part of its weekly promotion, NJ.com reported.
Owner Cathy Varriale approved the menu addition, citing she was unaware of the group's controversial history and later calling it a "bad decision."
"We truly do apologize," Varriale told the outlet. "It was a bad decision. It was stupidity. It was ignorance. But we do not support hatred or Nazism or any of that."
The Proud Boys, designated a hate group, have been widely condemned for their role in the January 6 riots, with four of their leaders, including Enrique Tarrio, convicted of seditious conspiracy in 2023.
Despite swiftly removing the item from the menu, firing the staff member responsible and issuing a public apology, the restaurant continues to face boycotts, threats and a flood of angry messages.
Varriale, who claimed ignorance of the Proud Boys' reputation, has expressed deep regret and says the situation has become a "nightmare."
"I know this may sound ridiculous, but I didn't know what a Proud Boy was," she told the outlet. "I thought it was, you know, a proud boy."
The restaurant is working to repair its reputation, but public outrage persists, with some community members planning protests.
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