Two men — one of them a graduate of Waipahu High School — were refused service Tuesday night in a Salt Lake City bar by a bartender who they say told them, “I can’t serve Polynesians,” according to a local news report.

For Falaniko Iata Maea and his cousin, Setefano Folau Wily, it was their first time visiting Willies Lounge at 1716 Main Street. A bartender named Alisha reportedly asked to see identification for both men before refusing them service.

Maea, who is from Honolulu, said he was stunned. “I was like, ‘You can’t what?’” Others in the bar spoke up in the men’s defense, including a woman. “She was taken aback and said, ‘Did I just hear this correctly? Did you just tell me that you can’t serve these guys ‘cause they’re Polynesian,’” Maea recalled.

Maea said the bartender claimed it was bar policy — a point backed up by owner Geremy Cloyd. He told a news crew from Salt Lake City’s Fox 13 that he had given his staff instructions regarding “screening” out patrons in certain situations. “If groups of unknown people, including Polynesians but not limited to, that we don’t know come in late at night, you don’t have to serve them,” he said he told his workers.

Upon being told of the incident, Cloyd rushed to the bar to apologize and attempt to make it up to the two men. But having been told to leave the bar by staff, they left, with other patrons following them out.

“We swallowed our pride and walked out with our heads held high,” Wily said.

Added Maea, “It’s sad. This is 2016. Just the ignorance behind it all, being approached like that – it’s mind blowing.”

Maea posted a short video on the encounter on Facebook along with comments. “Pure Ignorance! Last night a few of us visited WILLIES Lounge for the first time and after our ID’s were checked the bartender Alisha said we cannot serve “POLYNESIANS” I was taken back by her comment. It’s 2016,” he wrote.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. Shame on you WILLIES! Please Share! ‪#‎PureIgnorance with Setefano Folau Wily”

The post went up Wednesday morning, and by Thursday afternoon, nearly 385,000 people had seen it, 4,800 users had shared it and about 150 commented on it. Fox 13’s report said the attention the post has received has already proved problematic for Willies: Some musical acts that had been scheduled to perform at the bar have cancelled.

Salt Lake City is home to about 27,000 people who identify as Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian out of an overall population of 2.4 million. Their presence dates back to the 1800s, when many of their ancestors traveled from Pacific islands to Utah with Mormon missionaries.

Only California, Hawaii and Washington are home to greater numbers of Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians, according to U.S. Census data.

Refusing service over race in a business open to the public amounts to denial of a “public accommodation” and violates both Utah law and the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The men told Fox 13 they plan to consult with civil rights organizations over the incident.

See the Fox 13 report here.