It’s going to be a sweltering summer for Philips Arena; the home of the Atlanta Hawks is facing some heat after a brand new lawsuit from a former security manager.
According to TMZ, Sam Hayes, who ran security for Hawks games and other events at the arena, says he was fired for bringing up the arena’s discriminatory practices.
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Hayes says black artists who came to perform consistently had to go through more rigorous security checks than white performers. The general rule at the arena is for all artists and their crews to go through metal detectors, but most request to bypass the check.
Artists whose request was granted? AC/DC, Amy Schumer, Adele, Ariana Grande, Bon Jovi, and the WWE Live Tour.
Artists who were denied and forced to go through the screening? Drake, Future, Kanye West, Migos, 2 Chainz, Katt Williams, Tyler Perry, and The Comedy Get Down World Tour, featuring D.L. Hughley, Eddie Griffin, and Cedric The Entertainer.
Hayes says he brought up the discrimination (after nearly a year of noticing) following an incident in which a Radiohead crew member got belligerent and pulled off his pants when a black security guard asked him to go through the metal detector. According to Hayes, a white staffer then told the crew member he could bypass the check.
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What did Hayes’ boss tell him when he asked about the double standard?
“Hip hop acts draw a different crowd and the white acts bring in more money.”
Hmm. Hayes was then fired, supposedly for reprimanding lower level staffers without consulting HR. Um, isn’t that part of what managers do? Hayes is calling BS on the firing, saying it was because they didn’t like that he brought up the discrimination.
A spokesperson for the Atlanta Hawks told TMZ:
“[Samuel Hayes] was terminated for poor performance and his claims are baseless.”
Guess we’ll have to see how this plays out in court. What do YOU think??
[Image via WENN.]
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