Corrections officers asked to leave Cheesecake Factory — for carrying guns

Six Washington state corrections officers met up for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory in the Tacoma Mall on Tuesday. And as you'd expect, their uniforms and badges were visible.

But three of them were also carrying guns — and that became an issue.

“They had seated us in the back area,” Miriam Nichols, who's worked three years for the department of corrections, told KIRO-FM. “Shortly after the rest of our party arrived, we were asked to leave because we were carrying our firearms with us. They said they did not allow firearms in their establishment.”

The officers showed their badges and law enforcement IDs to restaurant's managers. They explained why they were armed — but no dice.

“They said it didn’t matter, and they asked us to leave,” Nichols told KIRO. “We left quietly and tried not to make more of a scene than it already was.”

Cheesecake Factory staffers were polite about the whole thing, she added to the station: "There are only so many ways to politely kick someone out of an establishment, though."

“I was a little floored that it was even happening,” Nichols added to KIRO. “This wasn’t the first place that my colleagues and I have gone to lunch … having contact with clients, offenders, the general public, while on duty. This is the first time we had this reaction.”

But once Nichols posted about her experience on Facebook, a lot of people were outraged.

A number of commenters vowed to boycott the restaurant, which just opened Dec. 6, the News Tribune reported. Others were angry that the action took place so soon after a Tacoma police officer was fatally shot in the line of duty.

“It’s kind of given that law enforcement carry firearms,” Nichols told KIRO.

Soon after, Cheesecake Factory corporate released a statement: "Our policy is to allow uniformed and identified law enforcement officials to possess their service weapons on our premises. To the extent that there was a miscommunication of our policy, we sincerely apologize."

Apparently a shift manager miscommunicated or misunderstood the policy, the News Tribune reported.

But among many who indicated support for the officers carrying their guns into the restaurant, at least one person who replied to Nichols' original Facebook post on the matter didn't see it that way.

"Sorry, but any place that has a strict no-gun policy and follows it to the letter is awesome," the commenter said. "With no disrespect to the awesome men and women in law enforcement, if you're on break and want to go to a restaurant...why bring your gun with you? I know I am uncomfortable around anyone with a gun, and I mean anyone, so if I am enjoying a meal at a restaurant...I'd like to not be rendered uncomfortable...."

That got a few folks riled up.

"Who cares about your comfortability?" one poster shot back. "Law enforcement carry all the time on and off duty because so many of them are shot to death while eating breakfast. That's why they carry their firearms. Use common sense before posting something like this."

"They carry when on break because they are still on duty," another added. "I would rather eat with a cop then a snowflake like you. At least they have my 6 and I can eat in peace."

"Have fun in your gun free zones when you are a sitting duck for an active shooter," another poster said. "Why do you think that mass shootings take place in gun free zones?"