Devoted restaurateur Johnny Brann got caught up in a fight over a memorial service honoring the lives of fallen police officers and military personnel in the heart of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The story began in 2018, when local officials argued that the display went beyond what was allowed in terms of signage.
There have been a lot of discussions about flags and emblems in the US over the years. It seems like a delicate subject.
When the Grand Rapids restaurant owner of Brann’s Steakhouse hit a breaking point in 2018, one such tale attracted a lot of attention. Everything started when the Brann’s Steakhouse building on Leonard Street obtained an excessive amount of signage, which prompted the Grand Rapids Planning Department to file a complaint.
The city then wrote to Johnny Brann, the owner, informing him that the memorial signs and flags honoring slain police officers and military members were against city ordinances. He would have to face fines if he didn’t take down the signs.
Although the city insisted on following the regulations, Brann maintained that his exhibit was a necessary way to show his appreciation and respect for police officers and active military personnel.
“Those flags are staying on the building, they are not coming down. It’s about supporting the military and law enforcement,” says Johnny Brann, owner of Brann’s Steakhouse, told Fox17.
The signs pay tribute to the U.S. Navy’s David Warsen Jr., the Grand Rapids Police Department’s Robert Kozminski, the U.S. Army’s Eric Burri, the Walker Police Department’s Trevor Slot, and the Michigan State Police’s Kevin Marshall.