2 More Claim Racial Profiling Against Macy's
New York (CBSNewYork) – Two women are claiming they were racially profiled in separate incidents at two different Macy's stores in New York City.
The allegations come on the heels of a scandal involving claims of racial profiling by employees at major retailers, including Macy's.
As 1010 WINS' Carol D'Auria reported, Maria Paez, of Venezuela, claims she was racially profiled, falsely arrested, imprisoned and forcefully separated from her child after employees at Macy's in Herald Square accused her of shoplifting.
Woman Claims She Was Not Allowed To Call Her Son
Paez said she was trying on clothes and putting items she wanted to buy in a plastic Macy's bag to take to the check out when she was stopped and brought to Macy's jail.
Paez claims she was not allowed to call her 12-year-old son, who was shopping on another floor in the store, throughout the entire ordeal. She was charged with petite larceny, however, claims she never walked out of the store with the clothes.
"When you go to Macy's, you check your rights at the door," attorney Herb Subin said at a news conference Tuesday.
Another similar story has been alleged against a Macy's in Downtown Brooklyn.
As WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported, Maritza Hernandez claims she was holding two pairs of socks as she spoke on her cell phone near the exit when she was thrown against a wall, searched, and then dragged into a Macy's jail.
2 More Claim Racial Profiling Against Macy's
"That's when everybody came and pushed me against the window, dragged me, hitting me," Hernandez said.
Hernandez claims she was forced to sign a confession and pay a $200 fine. She said she was profiled for being Puerto Rican.
Macy's spokesperson Elina Kazan released a statement saying, "Macy's does not tolerate discrimination of any kind, including racial profiling."
The City Council recently held a hearing on the racial profiling allegations. The hearing included written statements from both Macy's and Barneys denying the allegations, though neither store sent a representative to the hearing.
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