You’re listening to Live from Lord North Street, a podcast from the Institute of Economic Affairs.

 

Back in June, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was kicked out of the Red Hen restaurant in Virginia, because the owner didn’t like her association with President Donald Trump’s administration.

 

Is this an act of discrimination, perfectly within one’s right, or both?

 

Today we're joined by Dr Steve Davies, Head of Education at the IEA, to discuss the concept of civility in public life.

 

Interviewed by IEA News Editor Kate Andrews, Steve argues that any private establishment has the right to refuse service, but that doing so does not come without consequence.

 

The pair discuss famous instances of discrimination, perpetuated by both the private sector and the state, and try to identify what the lines are between civil dissent and dangerously overstepping the mark.

 

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