Memphis Pizza Owner Refuses Service to National Guard Amid Federal Taskforce Violence

In early July, Miles Tamboli, owner of Tamboli’s Pasta & Pizza in Midtown Memphis, announced that his restaurant would not serve members of the National Guard deployed under President Donald Trump’s “Memphis Safe Task Force.” The decision followed a series of fatal shootings involving federal agents and Guard soldiers in the city. Despite online calls for a boycott from right-wing commentators, the restaurant opened to a full house, with a line forming by 5:30 p.m. Tamboli reported a significant increase in business that evening.

The Guardian

President Trump announced the federal taskforce in Memphis last year, and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee activated the National Guard for high-visibility patrols downtown. The deployment has drawn criticism as violent crime rates in Memphis have been declining. Since the initiative began in September, federal agents have been involved in multiple lethal incidents: on 13 May, Memphis Safe Task Force agents shot and killed 41-year-old Darrin Pigram at a Burger King in Frayser; on 21 May, a Homeland Security special agent killed 25-year-old Jonah Neal after a weapons report; and around 4 a.m. on 5 July, National Guard soldiers fatally shot 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson during a police pursuit near Ida B Wells and Gayoso avenues. Two days later, DEA agents with the taskforce killed 47-year-old Alphonso Ivy at a motel on Poplar Avenue. These incidents have eroded public tolerance for the armed presence on Memphis streets.

The Guardian

Tamboli said the surge in customers demonstrated community support for his stance. He also noted that his family has faced “review bombing” on Google and threats, prompting them to relocate temporarily. Sarah Jones, a patron, expressed that refusing service is a legitimate form of protest, while Carol Bigam, a retired FedEx employee, argued that small family-owned businesses should be free to make such decisions.

The Guardian

• “While I do not blame the national guard for being in Memphis since it was not their choice, I stand by businesses refusing service as a form of resistance and protest,” — Sarah Jones

The Guardian

• “If you have a business – a small family-owned business – that says, ‘You know what, I’m sorry, I can’t serve you, I just don’t believe you should be here,’ it really should be OK,” — Carol Bigam

The Guardian

• “People are going to participate in a much less public endeavor,” — Sarah Jones

The Guardian

The episode highlights a localized clash between federal security initiatives and small-business owners asserting their right to protest through service refusal.

The Guardian