A Black millionaire claims he and eight of his Black friends were denied entry into the popular restaurant and nightclub 100 Wardour Street in London, United Kingdom, last week.
Lamar Berko, the owner of LB Jewellers, says he and his friends were told that there were already “too many men” inside the club, but moments later, he witnessed the doorman let “multiple white people” into the nightclub, according to The Independent.
Berko said that he’s experienced racism before but that the nightclub incident left him unable to sleep and feeling “violated.“
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“In my field, I’m used to dealing with racism. In this country, it’s always indirect and never direct. For example, I’ve been stopped by the police so many times for no reason other than the car I drive,” said Berko. “But I could not believe my eyes when the staff member took my friends and out of the queue – making everyone look at us as if we were troublemakers – then let in all white people and not us. I haven’t slept; I felt so violated.”
Berko launched his jeweler business after becoming a jewelry consultant at the age of 19 and has since worked with Afrobeats superstar Burna Boy, world champion boxer Floyd Mayweather, soccer star David Beckham and Afrobeats singer Wizkid, to name a few.
Berko added that even after he Googled himself and showed the doorman who he was, and offered to spend £10,000 (more than $12,000) on tables, he was still denied entry.
“I didn’t even ask the price of the tables – but this was turned down. What reason would they really have to say no? I wasn’t causing trouble or shouting; I didn’t flare up or swear.”
“This is something that happened to me throughout my 20s,” he continued. “It’s disappointing that, in my 30s, I’m finding myself in the same situation. It feels like the fact that we’re Black means that we’re not considered good enough to enter certain places in this country, despite having the financial means. It’s sad.”
After news of the incident circulated on social media, Black X users reacted, and a conversation about trying to force white people to accept Black people in their spaces ensued.
Another user wondered if Berko expected wealth to keep him exempt from racism.
“They honestly couldn’t carve out a smaller violin,” added another.
Here in the US, a Black attorney also claimed that he was a victim of racial discrimination when he was asked to remove his hat while inside the bar at the upscale Post Oak Hotel in Houston, Texas.
Willie Powells filed a lawsuit on Oct. 6 after he was accused of violating the dress code at HBar while white patrons wearing ripped jeans and cowboy hats were unbothered by the hotel staff. Powells took video of the patrons leaving the bar while he was being asked not to visit the hotel again.
“I’m happy to have security involved, and again, if you don’t feel comfortable with the approach of the hotel regarding the dress code, probably you won’t visit the hotel another time,” a staffer told Powells, according to Chron.
Powells’ attorney, Randall Kallinen, told the outlet that dress codes are often a method used to discriminate against minorities “that you don’t want in your establishment.”
Atlanta Black Star reached out to Powells’ office for comment but did not hear back prior to publication.
