‘Tired of This …’: YMCA Calls 911 on Elderly Black Woman After She Refuses to Give Up Chair In Fitness Class That Was Allegedly First Claimed By a White Woman
An elderly Black woman is accusing her local YMCA of discrimination after staff members called the police when she refused to move seats in a fitness class when instructors specifically asked her to relocate to make room for a white class participant. According to WSET, 72-year-old Maria Spooner attended a group fitness class at the South Boston, Virginia, YMCA on Aug. 18 that had seats for class participants spaced out through the room. Maria Spooner was standing her ground against officers who arrived to escort off the premises because she refused to give up her chair to a white woman. (Credit: Maria Spooner Facebook Video Screengrab) Spooner arrived at the class early and snagged a chair at the very front of the class, but she said a white class member walked in and claimed the space for herself. What followed was a request by the class instructor that quickly escalated into a dispute. The instructor asked Spooner to move instead of the other woman. Spooner argued that she claimed the space first, but the instructor insisted that she move. "My mother sat in her seat, which was supposed to be an open space, equal seating for everyone, but apparently that lady had the right to have her seat, but my mother did not have a right to have a free seat," her son, Steven Spooner, said. The 72-year-old recorded a nearly 15-minute Facebook Live video of the interaction she had with multiple staffers at her local YMCA. She's heard narrating each moment of the encounter as she pans back and forth between the employees and the white woman seated next to her. When Spooner questions why she has to move, the class instructor said the white woman has been sitting in the contested space for a year, even though there are no reserved seats in the class for participants. ‘He Had the Wrong One’: Black Woman Who Fought Off White Attacker Who Tried to Snap Her Neck In Viral Video Sets Record Straight About Rejecting Kiss One staff member is also heard accusing Spooner of "derailing the class" by not simply moving to another space. Throughout the encounter, the woman seated next to Spooner is seen sticking her tongue out at Spooner, giving her the middle finger, and telling her, "I don't give a s***" when Spooner continued to protest the relocation request. The situation escalated when staff members opted to call 911, accusing Spooner of disrupting the class. "I am tired of this white privilege," Spooner stated, while waiting for the police. https://twitter.com/glittermagazine/status/1959144439911522729?s46&thVGUZ7rZ4FGzwNgGcrA19w In another video, Spooner recorded the moment three officers arrived to escort her out. Officers at the scene were heard telling Spooner that she could leave the premises or risk being arrested for trespassing. Spooner's family is calling for a formal apology from the YMCA and "corrective measures" to prevent similar incidents in the future. The YMCA issued a statement saying, "We are aware of the incident that took place during an exercise class and the videos that have been shared publicly. What unfolded at that time fell short of the safe and welcoming environment we strive to create. We are taking this very seriously. Our leadership team has actively engaged with the individuals directly involved, as well as with our staff, to listen and learn. These conversations have been constructive, and we are grateful for their openness. Alongside this dialogue, we are reviewing our policies to strengthen safety and fairness, and we are implementing additional training for our teams to better support our community moving forward." South Boston police also released details about the incident that led up to the 911 call: YMCA staff explained that the chairs for the class were set up prior to the beginning of the class. One of the individuals arrived first but left the room briefly. During her absence, the second individual entered the room, found an empty chair, and sat down. When the first individual returned and found the second individual seated in what she believed was her spot, she became upset. Instead of choosing another chair, the first individual placed a chair directly beside the chair occupied by the second individual and refused to move. The YMCA staff informed the officers that this behavior disrupted the class and prevented the instructor from safely conducting exercises that required adequate spacing between participants. They further advised that they had repeatedly asked the first individual to move her chair, but she refused and began recording them on her phone while accusing the staff of racial bias. The YMCA staff advised the officers that they wanted the first individual to leave for the day. The first individual was approached by the officers, and they calmly explained that, due to the YMCA staff’s request, she would need to leave the facility. The first individual did not want to leave, so the officers explained that she could be charged with trespassing if she did not leave.
