Bishop Kicked Out of Movie Theater Over Seating Dispute
Today, Rev. Dr. William Barber spoke out about a recent incident at the AMC Fire Tower 12 in Greenville, N.C. where he was asked to leave after a dispute over seating accommodations. The 60-year-old Bishop, who has arthritis, uses his own chair in public spaces due to his medical condition.
Barber claims that employees at the theater would not allow him to use his special chair, citing it as a fire hazard. He was then asked to leave, and police were called. Since the incident, Barber has been in contact with the CEO and Chairman of AMC Theaters, Adam Aron, who has expressed willingness to meet with the Bishop in person.
The Bishop has emphasized that his dispute is about disability, not race, and he is seeking systemic changes and policy changes to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. Barber has secured legal counsel and consultation from civil rights attorney Harry M. Daniels and Maria Town, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities.
Barber has accepted the apology from the theater, but he is adamant that concrete actions are needed to ensure that no one else goes through a similar experience. He has referenced the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title 3, which prohibits discrimination based on disability in public accommodation, to support his case.
A video of Rev. Barber’s press conference can be found on his Twitter account. He has also indicated that a face-to-face meeting with Aron will take place soon, and he is looking for tangible changes to come out of the situation.