New Macy's Bias Suit: Black Customer Stopped for 'Shop and Frisk' After Buying $2,400 Handbag
A new Macy's bias suit was filed Friday by African-American shopper Halim Sharif after he was detained for purchasing a $2,400 Louis Vuitton handbag. In the April 19 incident, Sharif said he was the only one stopped when alarms went off even though other white customers were allowed to leave the Herald Square store.
The new Macy's bias suit is claiming that Sharif, 37, was discriminated against because of the color of his skin. The Mount Vernon club promoter said at least a half dozen other white patrons of the Herald Square location set off alarms as well, but those were ignored.
"It was as clear as black and white," he told the New York Daily News. "There was no grey area. I saw people exit before me and after me- and none of them looked like me. They lacked pigmentation."
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Sharif said he used a cell phone video to document the incident and is now suing for unspecified damages. He didn't come forward with it until recently reading about other African-American customers' allegations of mistreatment.
Macy's has not yet commented on the claim because of the ongoing investigation by their store and the NYPD.
"We take any claim made by our customers very seriously and will investigate Mr. Sharif's allegation vigorously. Macy's has a zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind. If Macy's policies have not been upheld, we will take swift and immediate action," a spokeswoman said.
They went on to point out that New York City police officers are the ones responsible for the recent detainment of black customers- Kayla Phillips, 21, Trayon Christian, 19, actor Rob Brown, 29, and Art Palmer, 56, were stopped at different times this year in Macy's and Barney's. Police have countered that they were informed by store employees in all of the incidents before arresting or detaining African-American customers.
