Was it their clothes, their potato chips or their complexion?
Three federal law enforcers feel they were racially profiled -- ironic, right? -- at the dedication Friday of Mt. Elliott Park and Plaza on Detroit's east side. The Detroit News has details:
Three plainclothes federal agents believe that racism was the reason they were initially denied entrance to a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning at Detroit’s newest RiverWalk park.
Two African-American agents said they walked over to the ceremonies at about 10:30 a.m. but allege they were denied entrance by a white guard working for Eagle Security Services.
Tom Greenwood and Candice Williams of the paper quote one agent anonymously and also speak with Mac McCracken, a former detective who is chief executive of the downtown security firm.
“They were just asked if they had an invitation because it was an invitation-only event,” he said. . . . “Everyone was dressed in business attire and a lot of people who weren’t were asked to stop.”
McCracken said that the agents walked up casually dressed and eating potato chips. “Although they were very nice, it was fairly obvious they had just walked up,” he said.
“The polite thing was to ask if they had their invitation. Once they were found to be law enforcement they were welcome to come in.”
The interviewed agent tells The News: "I was wearing pants and a Detroit Tigers T-shirt.”
He and a colleague later returned to the RiverWalk event with a third black agent, according to the article, which doesn't identify their federal agency.
“The supervisor came over, said it was a mistake and all we had to do to go in was sign in at a table. But I didn’t see anyone else having to sign in at the table, so what’s going on?”
-- Alan Stamm
RiverWalk's third waterside plaza and pavillion were dedicated Friday morning at an invitation-only ceremony that included remarks from Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley. (Detroit Riverfront Conservancy photo)
