A family has filed a $25 million class-action lawsuit against Sesame Place theme park over alleged racial discrimination.
This latest legal action was prompted by a viral TikTok that showed one character refusing to hug two black girls. Since then, an additional family, the Burns of Baltimore, submitted their own video evidence of their black daughter being ignored by another theme park character on a different occasion while other children were greeted.
Quinton Burns contacted Baltimore-based law firm Murphy, Falcon, & Murphy after he saw the viral TikTok. The mother to one of the girls in the video, Jodi Brown, and her lawyer, B’Ivory Lamar, confirmed that they are not affiliated with this class-action lawsuit, but the Burns are actively soliciting other families to join.
FAMILY POISED TO SUE SESAME STREET PARK FOR ALLEGED RACISM
The lawsuit alleges Sesame Park, a Sea World Entertainment affiliate, violated Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 by engaging in racial discrimination. Burns visited the park with his daughter on Father’s Day of this year when he allegedly saw four different characters ignore his daughter.
“We will review the lawsuit filed on behalf of Mr. Burns,” a statement from Sesame Place read. “We look forward to addressing that claim through the established legal process. We are committed to deliver an inclusive, equitable and entertaining experience for all our guests.”
In an Instagram post a week after the original TikTok went viral and a week before this lawsuit, Sesame Place vowed it was “taking actions to do better” and is “committed to making this right.” The park plans to implement inclusivity and equity training for its employees.
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Sesame Place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, opened its park over 40 years ago.
