A Melbourne man, who gained sudden notoriety after allegedly throwing a chair at a colleague outside a strip club, has lost his job at the furniture company where he was an executive. The incident, which unfolded on the evening of January 30, 2023, involved Tony Rogers, 58, and his workmate, both of whom were ejected from Bar 20 following a confrontation with staff.
According to reports, the altercation began when Rogers and his colleague demanded that a barmaid “open the f–king beer.” After security was called, the men were asked to leave, but they resisted. Eventually, they were removed from the premises, landing on the sidewalk of the well-known King Street area. In a fit of anger, Rogers stormed into a nearby restaurant, seized a dining chair, and threw it, intending to target security personnel. Instead, the chair struck his colleague in the head, knocking him out.
Both men were employed by Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabrike (VS), a prominent German manufacturer specializing in school and office furniture. Following the incident, VS issued a statement acknowledging awareness of the situation and confirming that it was taken “extremely seriously.”
The company stated, “While the incident occurred outside of business hours and was not related to a work event, the conduct shown was unacceptable and contrary to our values and the standards we expect of our people.” As a result of an internal investigation, it is reported that Rogers is no longer with the company.
In the aftermath of the incident, Victoria Police confirmed that their Divisional Licensing Unit is conducting an investigation. Investigators are yet to make contact with Rogers’ workmate but have encouraged him to come forward for an interview. A police spokeswoman indicated that Rogers is expected to receive an infringement notice at a later date.
Details of the Viral Incident
The footage of the altercation has garnered over 27 million views online, capturing the attention of the public. Co-owner of Bar 20, Michael Trimble, recounted that it took staff eight minutes to eject the two men after their aggressive behavior became apparent. Trimble noted that the incident escalated quickly when Rogers attempted to grab a nearby bollard as a weapon before opting for the chair instead.
Interestingly, Trimble revealed that the colleague who was struck had returned to the bar to apologize for Rogers’ behavior moments before the chair was thrown. “He was standing there apologising for his mate’s behaviour,” Trimble explained.
The chaos that unfolded left both patrons and staff in disbelief, with one bouncer reportedly laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Trimble remarked that he had seen many patrons act foolishly but never expected the incident to go viral.
Rogers, who served as a sales director for VS, had a long career in the furniture industry, holding significant positions including a director role at Woods Furniture for over 17 years. He had also been the director and vice chair of the Australian Furniture Association.
This incident highlights the potential consequences of public misconduct, particularly for individuals in professional roles. As investigations continue, both the company and the police maintain a focus on accountability and the standards expected of professionals, regardless of the circumstances.
