Tempe Tavern Faces Backlash for 9/11 Comparison After Major Underage Drinking Bust

Tempe Tavern, a bar near Arizona State University, faced significant backlash after a major underage drinking bust led to the arrest of over 170 people, many of whom were students using fake IDs. In the aftermath, the bar promoted a T-shirt on social media comparing the police raid to the September 11 attacks, using phrases like 'Our 911' and 'they hit the second tower!!,' which sparked outrage online and among local residents. The post was swiftly deleted, and Tempe Tavern management apologized, attributing the incident to a younger staff member who did not fully understand the gravity of 9/11. Many students defended the bar regarding the drinking bust, but both locals and students widely condemned the 9/11 comparison as offensive and in poor taste. Authorities labeled the raid as one of the largest underage drinking operations in Tempe's history, sending a strong message about enforcement. The controversy has reignited discussions about underage drinking at college bars and the boundaries of acceptable humor in marketing.