NYC Barney’s accused of racism by a second shopper
Yesterday we broke news of 19-year-old Trayon Christian’s arrest for shopping while black at a NYC Barney’s.
Turns out that he isn’t the only young black person who has been discriminated against at the store.
Kayla Phillips, 21, told the Daily News that four plainclothes cops accused her of credit card fraud after she purchased a $2,500 designer bag from the department store.
[The] nursing student from Canarsie, told the Daily News she had long coveted the orange suede Céline bag. Armed with a cash infusion from a tax return, she took her Bank of America debit card and headed to the Madison Ave. flagship store on Feb. 28. Phillips made the purchase without incident but says she was surrounded by cops just three blocks away, at the Lexington Ave. and 59th St. subway station. “There were three men and a woman,” she recalled. “Two of them attacked me and pushed me against a wall, and the other two appeared in front of me, blocking the turnstile.”
Read more at New York Daily News
According to Philips, the cops cornered her, demanding to see her ID. She has filed a $5 million notice of claim with the city and intends on suing the NYPD.
A Barney’s spokesperson released the following statement on their Facebook page:
“Barney’s New York typically does not comment on pending litigation. In this instance, we feel compelled to note that after carefully reviewing the incident of last April, it is clear that no employee of Barney’s was involved in the pursuit of any action with the individual other than the sale. Barney’s New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination and we stand by our long history in support of human rights.”
Will the day ever come that we won’t be judged by the color of our skin?
Thoughts on Barney’s statement?
Sound off below!