Mercer County residents who support racial justice are calling on people to boycott the Hamilton restaurant the Stone Terrace by John Henry, a popular fine dining and catering venue for weddings, business meetings, and political functions.

Area business and non-profit leaders have expressed outrage about Facebook posts by Joseph Russo, the brother-in-law of John Henry. People are planning to picket the Kuser Road restaurant at 6 p.m.

Russo, who listed himself on Facebook as the chef and co-owner of John Henry’s and has been identified in the past as a partner in the business in newspaper profiles, posted photos on Facebook claiming that George Floyd is still alive and attended his own funeral. He also called the Black Lives Matter movement “bullshit,” and showed a white officer kneeling on a handcuffed suspect with the words, “Hey NFL — Here’s how to take a knee.” He also posted a photoshopped picture of Melania Trump next to Michelle Obama, with Obama wearing the clothes of a slave. At the end of May, he suggested that the protests and looting were why people need AR 15 and 30 round magazines.

In response to complaints on social media, on Thursday a Stone Terrace Facebook page post claimed that Russo is not a co-owner of the restaurant and that the restaurant stands behind the Black Lives Matter Movement. The Stone Terrace Facebook page has since been deleted or hidden, and Russo has made most of his Facebook posts private. The Stone Terrace has not responded to requests for comment from various media outlets.

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9 Comments

  1. Russo is indeed a lout, but now we know that the Editor of Planet Princeton condones or supports cancel culture.

      1. It’s not newsworthy. I concede this is an opinion. The editor may also simply be giving the readers the type of story they want, which is a business decision. But each time the media allows itself to be used like this, we are polarized further.

  2. I am ready to help John protect his property from the destruction the rioters will inflict

    1. I’m sure you’ll be one of the “Good guys with a gun” there to intimidate the terrible picketers in the name of “defending property” – let me guess, “libtard” is a regular in your vocabulary?

    2. You, Russo, and that sociopath in the Whitehouse are stains on humanity. Make sure you and Russo go help him pack after Nov. 3.

  3. This is exactly why we need to have this conversation. Because the ideas expressed by Joe Russo are racist. And don’t believe for a second that he’s kept his feelings to himself. Everyone at The Stone Terrace was well aware of his views and condoned it with silence and acceptance. The only way to respond to their complicity is to boycott and protest. Let them experience the consequences financially. That always gets their attention. They should not be allowed to make money in our community while disparaging it’s citizenry.

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