Oregon hotel fires staff who asked black guest to leave

PORTLAND, ORE. – An Oregon hotel said it fired two of its employees for "mistreatment" by a black guest talking on the phone in the lobby when he was asked to leave a week ago.

The DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Portland tweeted Saturday, they "ended the appointment of the two men involved." They said the man's actions were "incompatible with our standards and values." The hotel did not identify the staff.

Jermaine Massey accused the hotel of profiling racially after a security guard called the police to remove him from the lobby on December 22. He lived in the hotel, and his lawyers say they want a public explanation and intend to pursue the case, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

On Friday, the hotel apologized to Massey on Twitter, saying the employees involved had been put on leave and a survey would be done. One day later, two workers were fired.

Security guard told Massey that if he could not give a room number, he would be asked to leave. The Washington State resides with an officer, according to a police report.

Massey published a video on social media that shows part of the interaction with guard.

General manager Paul Peralta said in a statement earlier this week that the hotel reached out to Massey to try to reach a resolution. Massey attorneys said the hotel should publicly answer why security was approaching and asked Massey and explain how Massey was a security guard.

It is the last high-profile event where black people have been removed from businesses.

Last month, the police in Kirkland's suburb of Seattle helped the owner of a frozen yoghurt shop kicking out a black man because they said they felt uncomfortable.

Police in Philadelphia in April arrested two black men at a Starbucks coffee shop after a manager called the police to say they refused to make a purchase or to leave.

Police, other city officials and business owners in those events later apologized.