Black College Student Arrested Because of Racism in NYC
Quote:
Barneys New York and the New York Police Department have been slapped with a lawsuit by Trayon Christian, a college student from Queens, who was arrested at the luxury department store in April.
"His only crime was being a young black man,” Michael Palillo, Christian's attorney, told The New York Post.
The Post reports that the 19-year-old was at the store buying a $350 Salvatore Ferragamo belt, but following the purchase, he was stopped by undercover officers that were allegedly called on by a Barneys sales clerk who believed the transaction was fraudulent.
The lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court, states that the NYC College of Technology freshman was asked by the cops: “how a young black man such as himself could afford to purchase such an expensive belt?” He was then handcuffed taken to a local precinct.
Despite showing the officers the receipt for the belt, his ID and the debit card used, "Christian was told that his identification was false and that he could not afford to make such an expensive purchase," Palillo said.
Christian, who saved up money for the pricey accessory from his part-time job at college, said he returned the belt and never plans to shop at the Madison Avenue store again. His story comes just days after another instance of racial discrimination was reported in Baltimore when a black woman was allegedly fired from Hooters for having blonde highlights.
Barneys has not commented on the matter and Christian's lawsuit against the store and the NYPD is for unspecified damages.
I get accused of stealing all the time. Following me around I got money bitch i don';t have to steal. Even when we're doing right they still come for us.
Despite showing the officers the receipt for the belt, his ID and the debit card used, "Christian was told that his identification was false and that he could not afford to make such an expensive purchase," Palillo said.
This part does the most O_O. You expect this kind of **** to not happen in NYC but I guess not
Despite showing the officers the receipt for the belt, his ID and the debit card used, "Christian was told that his identification was false and that he could not afford to make such an expensive purchase," Palillo said.
Reminds me when I use to work at Neiman Marcus and my old manager told this black women the clearance seaction is over here.
The black women use to spend 10k every time she came to our store she was so mad she stormed out.
Same thing happened to me when I went to go buy my Versace necklace a couple weeks ago. I got stopped and guards asked to see my receipt and asked how I payed for it since I should be a "struggling college student."
I was like "1st of all, here's the receipt. 2nd, Don't question me about my purchases, 3rd my parents have more coins than you will ever have"
I read this and laughed because it sounded like an Onion article, especially with a name like Trayon that resembles another name so culturally relevant for similar issues. But by the time reality struck in, all I could hope was that Trayon sues and upgrades his belt in to a whole wall of belts.
Mess :| 
