BALTIMORE, MD (June 27, 2020) -- Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott released the following statement regarding the racist incident at Atlas Group's Ouzo Bay Restaurant:
"Monday’s incident at Atlas Restaurant Group’s Ouzo Bay was completely disgusting and outright racist.
Our country is in the midst of the largest civil rights call to action in generations. It is a slap in the face that people are still blind to overt discrimination. It broke my heart to see that young boy humiliated and treated less-than because of the color of his skin.
Changing the dress code policy at two of their restaurants and implementing diversity and inclusion training are steps in the right direction, but not enough. I call on Atlas to lift the dress code policy at all of their locations in Baltimore City and encourage that any future policies for guests and employees alike, be analyzed through a lens of equity.
I challenge Atlas to use their standing in Baltimore’s restaurant industry to create a scholarship program for Baltimore City school graduates interested in pursuing hospitality/food service careers, subsequently giving back to the community and creating more equity and inclusivity within the industry.
Finally, I want this young man to know that there is a better side of our country and a better side of Baltimore than what he saw that day. There are people out there, myself included, who want to see him, and those who look like him succeed and thrive in life. I invite him to spend the day with me to see the greatness of our city, something that people like myself, his mother, and others work tirelessly every day to uphold and respect.
What happened on Monday extends beyond Atlas Group. I encourage our entire business community to use this moment to reflect and have the uncomfortable conversations that are needed for us to heal and move forward. We must continue to look closely at the systemic inequity, racism and discrimination within our communities that spur incidents like this one.
We have a long way to go but I encourage Baltimoreans to continue to stand in solidarity with Black people and speak out on injustice not just within our own communities, but across the country and the world."
