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Racism at the ticket wicket Last April 7, 20 black kids and two animators from Youth in Motion--the Little Burgundy community centre that helps local kids with their homework, tutoring needs, job searches and overall expansion of horizons--went, as they always do, on their monthly movie outing. They were headed to the Palace Theatre that night and the kids, aged 12 to 17, were excited. They had paid for their tickets and began heading up the escalators, says Youth in Motion program coordinator Jenne MacLean, when a Palace administrator demanded: "Stop, stop. I don't need this type of youth. This is my cinema." He refunded their money and ordered them to leave. >> Youth in Motion has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission alleging racism. "All the kids want really is an apology, a recognition that it actually happened," says MacLean. >> Famous Players' spokesperson Karen Bradt expressed surprise at learning Youth in Motion had lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission. "This was a very small incident that has just escalated," she told the Mirror. "I believe it's a very large misunderstanding on the part of Youth in Motion." She says the Palace administrator barred the kids because they had the potential to disrupt other movie goers. But when it was pointed out that the kids hadn't even entered the movie theatre when they were barred, Bradt declined further comment. >> The saddest thing about it for the kids, MacLean says, was the hopelessness afterwards. "They thought there was nothing they could do. Later on, they went to Burger King or McDonald's to talk about it. Some of the kids just wanted to sit alone and not talk at all." --Jacquie Charlton
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