As protest organizer Earnest McBride sees it, modifications to Vicksburg’s beer and light wine ordinance are part of a continuing pattern by city officials to shut down black businesses.

At a Tuesday rally on the steps of City Hall, McBride, a Vicksburg native who is an editor at The Jackson Advocate newspaper, told 22 people, “Downtown used to be 70 percent black. That’s all been pushed aside. They don’t acknowledge us.”

Among the changes is an ordinance that will require Anderson’s Cafe, the last remaining business labeled as a neighborhood bar in 2004, to close its doors at 10 p.m. The change reinstates an ordinance passed under former Mayor Robert Walker’s administration, but relaxed when Mayor Laurence Leyens and board members decided the five clubs at the time could remain open until 2 a.m., which mirrored the closing time on other local bars and clubs in the city.

Police Chief Tommy Moffett and Deputy Chief Richard O’Bannon asked for the changes, which go into effect, calling them an attempt to decrease the number of crimes as they relate to late-night drinking. A seeming contradiction is that the ordinance does not apply to four casinos in the city, all of which serve alcohol around the clock, or businesses with state-established, resort-area designations.

In addition to the ordinance, McBride took several jabs at Leyens’ personal life and accused him of criminal acts.

Erik Fleming, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate who will face incumbent Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran in November, was at the rally. He spoke against local government “shutting down businesses to solve crime.”

“We can’t allow city government to harm the black community,” Fleming said. “In Mississippi, it’s important for all of us to work together. You can’t discriminate against one group. Everybody has to have a piece of the pie.”

Anderson’s Cafe on First North Street is the oldest black-owned club still operating in Vicksburg and has a history rooted in the Civil Rights Movement. A homicide in the area was part of the motivation for the new restrictions. Moffett, who made an appearance at the rally, said he feels passionately the new laws will not only allow residents of the area more peace and quiet, but also save lives.

Beer and light wine changesThe following changes have been made to the laws governing beer and light wine sales in Vicksburg effective April 10. Casinos, businesses with resort status and alcohol sales governed by the state Office of Alcoholic Beverage Control will not be affected.

Bars, convenience stores and grocery stores may not sell beer or light wine between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday and between 2 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday.

People younger than 21 will be banned from entering businesses that serve alcohol, except where permitted by state law.

No sales of single beers or light wine from ice tubs or similar containers at any grocery or convenience store. Selling singles from coolers is allowed.

Brown-bagging, defined as taking alcohol beverages into an establishment, is legal except between the hours of 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 2 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Neighborhood bars or clubs in residential zones must close by 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and not reopen until 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.