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UWS Apple Store Sued After Alleged Racial Profiling Incident
By
Jen Carlson
Published May 26, 2011
Modified May 26, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published May 26, 2011
Modified May 26, 2011
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Photo via Dennis Hdez's flickr
It wasn't too long ago that the Apple Store in SoHo was being accused of discriminating against Chinese people, and now the Upper West Side storefront is in the spotlight for racial profiling. The company is being sued by two men who claim they were discriminated against while inside the Broadway store because they're black. According to Apple Insider the suit, filed by 34-year-old Brian Johnston and 25-year-old Nile Charles, alleges the incident began when an employee told them they were not welcome in the store. The men "assert they are entitled to damages due to ongoing 'emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life, and other non-pecuniary losses.'"
The incident occurred on December 9th of last year at 3:20 p.m., when they claim a tall, 225-lb white male employee in his 50s approached them in an intimidating fashion, saying, "You know the deal. And before you say I'm racially discriminating against you, let me stop you. I am discriminating against you. I don't want 'your kind' hanging out in the store."
The lawsuit also notes that the two were there to purchase headphones, and were wearing "baggy jeans and large sweaters with hoods." They say they were shocked and humiliated, and reportedly started recording the alleged incident on their cell phones, when another employee approached them saying, "Now you have to go. If you want to know why, it's because I said so. CONSIDER ME GOD. You have to go." When they found a manager to talk to about what they say was racial profiling, the manager had the store's head of security call 911.
Tagged
apple
apple store
broadway
discrimination
lawsuit
racial profiling
Upper West Side
uws
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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