The Black United Front, which has picketed several downtown restaurants for closing this summer during festivals attracting predominantly blacks, has agreed to end its protests after receiving an apology from the Greater Cincinnati Restaurant Association.

        The letter, addressed to the “Greater Cincinnati African American Community,” was dated Oct. 5 and signed by restaurant association officials Mark LaRosa, Nat Comisar, Carol Wilson and Shari Einsel.

        The letter stated that the more than a dozen restaurants that closed during the Ujima and the Cincinnati Coors Light Jazz festivals in July did not intend to offend anyone.

        The restaurant owners have said their decisions to close were based on economic considerations and traffic concerns.

        The Black United Front and other members of the community charged that the restaurant closings were race-based.

        But the group plans no further protests “at this point,” said the Rev. Damon Lynch III, a spokesman.

        “We're moving onto some other issues, such as curfew arrests and handcuffing during the event, which we will bring before the city of Cincinnati,” the Rev. Mr. Lynch said.

        Jeff Ruby, whose downtown steakhouse was one of the protesters' primary targets, also issued a personal apology to “the Cincinnati community” in a letter he released to various groups Thursday.

        A portion of the letter read, “While my decision (to close) was purely financially motivated, I didn't factor in to "the equation' the insensitivity it would portray within the African-American community. ...

        “I sincerely apologize for giving the impression that I didn't want those visitors' business because of the color of their skin.”

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