A North Carolina movie theater is apologizing after removing Bishop William J. Barber II, a prominent social justice activist, from its venue on Tuesday.
Barber and his 90-year-old mother went to the AMC Fire Tower 12 theater in Greenville, North Carolina to see The Color Purple, ABC 11 reported.
Barber, who previously served as chair of the North Carolina NAACP, uses two canes to walk. He also struggles to sit in certain chairs because he has a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in his joints and spine.
As he usually does when he goes to public events, Barber took his own chair to the theater. The chair looks like a bar stool with back support. When he went to see The Color Purple on Tuesday, Barber set up his chair in the designated area for people who have disabilities. However, the North Carolina man said an employee told him that he could not set up his chair in the theater.
Police arrived after they were told that “a customer was arguing with employees, and they wished to have them removed from the business.” Barber then “agreed to leave the theater voluntarily,” according to police.
The social justice advocate didn’t face any charges, but he expressed his disappointment in a statement.
“This is about how people with disabilities regardless of race, color, creed or sexual orientation should be treated fairly,” he said, according to ABC 11. “With all the issues and real battles going on in the world, for managers of a theater to decide they can’t accommodate you and would rather remove you from a theater is absurd, which is why I prayed for them.”
AMC then responded with an apology letter.
“We sincerely apologize to Bishop Barber for how he was treated, and for the frustration and inconvenience brought to him, his family, and his guests,” the letter began.
According to the statement, AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron already spoke with Barber on the phone. Aron also plans to meet with Barber to talk more about the situation.
“We have a number of accommodations in place at our theaters at all times, and our theater teams work hard to accommodate guests who have needs that fall outside of the normal course of business,” AMC’s statement continued. “We encourage guests who require special seating to speak with a manager in advance to see what can best be accommodated at the theater to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for the guest and those around them.”
