Portland family alleges they were victims of racial profiling at Dave and Busters
An Oregon family had gone out to Dave and Busters for the evening to celebrate a promotion at work, but the night of fun quickly turned to an ordeal of racial profiling.
According to Rachel Batiste-Barber, their night was disrupted when a 16-year-old girl’s purse was stolen but then returned to the counter with some money missing. “A family came up and asked if we turned in a purse, and I said, ‘No ma’am that wasn’t us,'” Batiste-Barber said.
The person who had returned the purse was described as a “black man with braids,” and Batiste-Barber said it took her a moment to realize what was happening. “At that moment, I was just confused… it just took me a second to register, ‘Are you accusing my husband of stealing?'”
Eventually, Clackamas County Sheriff’s deputies were called, even though an employee pointed out that her husband, Andre, was not the man who brought the purse.
See Also: Black officer says LAPD retaliated against him after filing racial profiling complaint
“Somehow my husband fit a description that was not given to the police. He was run for warrants and questioned by police and ultimately, we were escorted out,” Batiste-Barber said.
“I was frustrated to the point of tears, I was angry, I was hurt… my husband was very calm and was very much like, ‘I’m used to this,'” she added. “I think that’s what hurts the most, is that this is so common.”
