The CEO of a popular brewery in Brooklyn, who drew widespread criticism last month when he called the coronavirus vaccine a “crime against humanity” and made comparisons to Jim Crow South and Nazi Germany, is stepping down, the company said Tuesday.
IN a statement posted on his social media accounts, Threes Brewing said CEO Josh Stillman, one of the brewery’s founders, had decided to resign.
“This decision was not taken lightly and comes after careful consideration,” said Threes Brewing. “He believes that his fiduciary responsibilities as CEO of Threes Brewing run counter to his responsibilities as a parent and citizen.
Jared Cohen, the brewery’s chief operating officer, will take over as chief executive, the company said.
In a post on Substack entitled “New York, I love you (but you’re taking me down)”, Mr. Stillman said he wanted to be free to express his opinion “without fear of my job – and most importantly , the team of people who work there – will be held accountable for my personal views. “
Mr Stillman’s comments last month sparked a wave of criticism, with some patrons threatening to shut down their businesses. Lincoln Wrestler, a member of the Brooklyn City Council, said he changed his mind about his plans to host an event in Threes when he learned of Mr Stylman’s remarks about vaccine mandates.
In an interview with The Times, Mr Stillman said he had been vaccinated and that the brewery had complied with the city’s mandate that restaurants and bars require visitors to provide proof of full vaccination in order to enter.
Mayor Eric Adams said on Sunday that he intends to let the policy expire next week if reports of new coronavirus cases remain relatively low.
Mr Stillman said in an interview that when he angrily compared the city’s policy of proving vaccination to the Holocaust and segregation in the south of Jim Crow, “I guess I did and wanted to share a public perspective to try to preserve every level of personal integrity or humanity. “
Threes Brewing officials condemned Mr Stillman’s remarks in a statement on 17 February. “We do not support our CEO Joshua Stillman’s mandate comparisons with historical atrocities based on religion or race,” they said. “We think the comparisons are inappropriate and inaccurate.”
Threes Brewing has locations in the Gowanus and Greenpoint neighborhoods of Brooklyn, Governors Island and Huntington, New York.