Arsonist Sets Fire to Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington
Freddie's Beach Bar was one of three Arlington businesses to be targeted by an arsonist, who set fire to the gay bar's main entrance.
Freddie’s Beach Bar was targeted in an attempted arson after an unknown person intentionally set fire to the entrance in the early morning hours of January 9.
The Northern Virginia bar’s owner, Freddie Lutz, told Metro Weekly that the bar had received a veiled threat from an anonymous caller the day before the fire.
“He basically said, ‘We’re going to fuck you up, we’re going to fuck up people at the bar, and then we’re going to go beat up women, whatever that means,'” Lutz said.
The same anonymous caller called back with a nearly identical message just hours after the fire was put out.
It remains unclear whether the caller has any connection to the fire.
Lutz said the would-be arsonist used some type of item — unknown at this time — to set a fire inside the vestibule at the bar’s main entrance, which opens up to an enclosed patio.
The fire singed the front doors and the roof of the vestibule but did not spread to the awning, the rest of the patio, or other parts of the building. The front doors are going to have to be replaced, Lutz said.
Two other nearby businesses, Crystal City Sports Pub and McNamara’s, were also targeted by the arsonist between the hours of 4-6 a.m. on January 9.
The fires at Freddie’s Beach Bar and McNamara’s appear to have been set in a similar manner.
The fire marshal’s office initially declared the blazes as “suspicious in nature” but has since classified them as a form of arson. The office has also asked for the public’s help in identifying the individual who set the fires, releasing video footage from a security camera from across the street showing the start of the blaze at Freddie’s.
The video footage shows a person — whose face is not clearly viewable — walking west down South 23rd Street to the door of Freddie’s. The person crouches and appears to be adjusting something. They then begin walking away as the vestibule lights up with flames.
The person depicted in the video then walks down the street before taking a right onto South Fern Street, rounding the corner just beyond McNamara’s Pub & Restaurant. The person appears to be carrying a can or some other container in their left hand as they walk away from Freddie’s.
Officials told Lutz that when the suspected arsonist targeted Crystal City Sports Pub, they allegedly threw a black tablecloth over a Christmas tree and soaked it in some kind of accelerant before setting it on fire.
Lutz was also told by investigators believe the fire at Freddie’s was ignited using kerosene.
Lutz said that while the fires at nearby businesses may, at first glance, appear to contradict any theory that Freddie’s was targeted for being a gay bar, police have told him that they have not yet ruled out classifying the arson as a hate crime. It is possible anti-LGBTQ animus was a motivating factor as to why Freddie’s was one of the three establishments that the arsonist targeted.
This is not the first threat Freddie’s has received in recent years. In April of 2024, Freddie’s was targeted by a bomb threat for a Drag Queen Story Time event the bar was hosting. The bar was evacuated, and the event temporarily delayed, but no incendiary devices were found.
A second email threatened to bomb the bar’s sister establishment in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Lutz has also been threatened personally, with emailers threatening to bomb his South Arlington home or to cause him personal bodily harm.
“I’m more worried about the bomb threats and death threats, as far as copycats go, than this incident,” he said. “This seems less like a targeted hate crime, although…[police] have not ruled that out.”
Freddie’s has resumed business as usual, but Lutz is remaining on alert for more potential incidents. “We’re constantly vigilant. The bomb threats, the death threats, made us even more so,” he said.
“It’s a crazy world we’re living in — you have to be vigilant,” Lutz continued. “We’ve had active shooter training at Freddie’s. I’ve told the [karaoke host], because they’re in a spot where they can see the front door, if somebody walks through that front door with a gun, or is masked, grab that fire extinguisher and blast him.”
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
You must be logged in to post a comment.