Nancy Trejos
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Portland employees who allegedly evicted a black guest for speaking on his mobile phone in the lobby have been fired just a day after being placed on administrative leave.
“We have terminated the employment of the two men involved in the mistreatment of Mr. Massey,” the hotel shared on Twitter Saturday. “Their actions were inconsistent with our standards & values. We reiterate our sincere apology for what he endured & will work with diversity experts to ensure this never happens again.”
Paul Peralta, general manager of Doubletree by Hilton Portland, said Friday that the hotel also apologized to Jermaine Massey, 34, and will conduct an internal investigation of the Dec. 22 incident.
“We sincerely apologize to Mr. Massey for his treatment this past weekend, and deeply regret the experience he endured,” Peralta wrote in an email to USA TODAY. “It was unacceptable and contrary to our values, beliefs and how we seek to treat all people who visit our hotel.”
The hotel’s internal investigation will involve outside help.
“We have a zero-tolerance stance on discrimination of any kind, and do not tolerate behavior of that nature,” Peralta said. “We are seeking the counsel of community leaders and will engage a third party to conduct a full investigation into the incident – reviewing our internal processes, protocols and trainings to ensure we are creating and maintaining a safe space for everyone.”
Massey, in Instagram posts that included videos, said a white hotel security guard named Earl approached him and asked for his room number. Massey said he confirmed he was a guest. The hotel employees accused him of posing a safety threat and causing a disturbance. Police arrived and escorted him off the property.
“It is deeply troubling to hear about Mr. Massey’s experience with discrimination,” his statement read. “No one should be treated this way, and I hope this serves as a catalyst for necessary changes that address the systemic nature of discrimination of all forms.”
DoubleTree is one of Hilton’s 14 brands, which are for the most part franchised and independently operated. A spokesperson for Hilton says the company has been in communication with the hotel’s management.
“We are aware of the incident that took place at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Portland and have zero tolerance for racism,” Hilton said in a written statement. “We are working with the independently owned and operated property.”
Massey accused the hotel of racially profiling him. He said employees at the DoubleTree called the police after he took a call from his mother in the lobby. He had just returned from a concert by rapper Travis Scott at the nearby Moda Center.
Portland Police told USA TODAY earlier this week that officers responded to DoubleTree Hotel Portland “regarding a person who hotel staff were (removing) from the property.”
“The employees, who had authority to (remove) people from the hotel, requested the officer contact a person in the lobby they had reportedly directed to leave the property,” the statement read.
Courtesy: (usatoday.com)
