A Black woman named Marcia Grant is speaking out after she and her 9-year-old son were denied service at a restaurant because of how her child was dressed. The restaurant was Ouzo Bay in Baltimore, Maryland , which is owned by the Atlas Restaurant Group, according to Today.
Grant was shocked when she was approached by a white manager who told her that due to the restaurant’s dress code, her son would not be able to have a meal there unless he changed clothes. He was reportedly wearing an Air Jordan T-shirt as well as athletic shorts and sneakers. That was when she began recording the incident. In the video, the manager is seen wearing a face mask as he explains the dress policy to Grant. He noted that while they took no issue with the child’s T-shirt, the athletic shorts were not allowed.
Confused, Grant panned over to her son who is standing by while looking uncomfortable, his hands in his pockets. She then turned the camera to a window where a blond-haired white child can be seen walking with his father. The child was wearing an outfit quite similar to Grant’s son — sneakers, a T-shirt, and athletic shorts. That child was permitted to dine at the restaurant despite the fact his outfit broke the dress policy.
The mother shared the video on Facebook where it went go viral. She explained in the caption that while she has personally been a victim of racism many times, it was very painful for her to watch her own son go through it.
Atlas Restaurant Group later issued an apology to Grant in which they informed her that the manager involved in the incident had been placed on leave.
“Today, we learned of an incredibly disturbing incident that occurred at one of our restaurants in Baltimore, Ouzo Bay. We sincerely apologize to Marcia Grant, her son & everyone impacted by this painful incident. This situation does not represent who or what Atlas stands for,” they wrote.
They went on to say that they were “sickened” by the incident and that their dress codes are not meant to be discriminatory.
As The Inquisitr previously reported, this video is going viral during a time where racial injustice and discrimination are very hot topics. Protests have gone on across the nation, sparked by the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of police. The officers involved in Floyd’s death were arrested.
