A Wisconsin roller rink is under fire after a recorded phone call and hidden camera footage revealed it was racially discriminating against customers.
The controversy erupted after 16-year-old Animya Anderson, who is Black, along with some friends and their parents were turned away from the Skateland roller rink in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
When Anderson's mother called the roller rink she was told by the owner Milwaukee teens are banned because they bring "too much troubles."
But when a White Milwaukee County Board Supervisor Ryan Clancy and his son tried to visit the roller rink, they were let in without any problem, as seen in the hidden-camera recording of the encounter he shared with local news station WISN.
You can see that footage here:
In the hidden camera footage, Clancy confronted the owner about his policy, clarifying teenagers from outside Milwaukee are allowed.
The owner did not hesitate to confirm the policy, telling Clancy:
"If they're a Waukesha County resident, we'd never question it."
The owner added Milwaukee teens are prone to "shooting and fighting."
Laney Anderson, Animya's mother, shared a recording of her phone conversation with Skateland's owner on her Facebook page, where it has sparked outrage.
In the phone call, the owner confirmed the policy to Anderson.
The owner said it applied even if they were accompanied by their parents. He then suggested two other skating rinks located in Milwaukee County that "would be a good place to go" for Anderson's family.
When Anderson called out the discriminatory nature of the policy, the owner justified it by saying that when he goes golfing in Milwaukee, he has to pay more.
Speaking to local news station WISN, Anderson said she felt the policy was bigotry.
"It's discrimination. That's what it is. It's discrimination in our face."
Clancy agreed.
He told WISN he felt the policy was a "horrifically racist" cop-out.
"He can't come out and say that he doesn't want Black and Brown residents from Milwaukee in his business, but he thinks that he can say that he can restrict people from a certain place."
On social media, people were outraged by the owner's policy.
Melissa Lenz/Facebook
Eric Rodriguez/Facebook
Angela Mess/Facebook
Tom Chiconas/Facebook
Laura Monroe/Facebook
Bernard King Sr./Facebook
Darius Harris/Facebook
Mi'amore Lafaye/Facebook
Neisha Royal/Facebook
Lucille Desiree Ball/Facebook
Anderson told WISN she plans to take legal action against Skateland because of the incident.
