An Edinburgh festival venue has apologised after the actor Layton Williams accused its security staff of racial profiling after he was ejected from their site.
Williams posted a video on Twitter after being told to leave the Assembly festival’s temporary venue in George Square because he apparently looked like someone who had jumped the fence two weeks ago.
A mixed-race actor who has appeared in the West End as Billy Elliot and in Jack Whitehall’s BBC Three comedy Bad Education, Williams said he was furious at his treatment. “This is a fucking joke. Want to talk about racial profiling? Here it is in the flesh,” he said.
A way to ruin my @edfringe experience!
— Layton Williams (@LaytonWilliams) August 19, 2018
I just got KICKED OUT of @AssemblyFest coz I looked “suspicious” !
After asking security the reason why, apparently I looked liked someone who jumped the fence 2 weeks ago.
I. 👏🏾 Am. 👏🏾 FURIOUS! #EdFringe pic.twitter.com/eVTVrDsj4Z
As he filmed his complaint at the Assembly festival security cordon on his mobile phone, a female member of staff appeared to give him the finger. He also alleged a black member of security had told him, “I’ll find you”, if the incident was posted on social media.
Sharon Burgess, the Assembly festival’s managing director, and Allan Jones, the managing director of the security company Dunedin, issued formal apologies to Williams. “On this occasion, initial investigations indicate that handling of the incident and communication were poor,” Jones said.
In his video tweet, Williams described what had happened. “So these lot over here [security and door staff] think I was here two weeks ago because I look like another mixed-race bitch,” Williams said.
“I can prove I wasn’t here two weeks ago … But I’ve just been kicked out of a venue for looking suspicious because I look like somebody else. But that’s not me. I’ve got the receipts [to prove it] but they don’t want to see the receipts.”
He added in a further tweet: “I calmly reported them to the police afterwards and they didn’t seem to think they could do anything but ‘have a word’!
“They were very understanding but I can’t tell you that sinking feeling I have right now. Feeling completely humiliated. The injustice is wild.” The security staff, he added, were “horrifically rude, uncooperative and quite frankly, abusive”.
I calmly reported them to the police afterwards and they didn’t seem to think they could do anything but “have a word” !
— Layton Williams (@LaytonWilliams) August 19, 2018
They were very understanding but I can’t tell you that sinking feeling I have right now. Feeling completely humiliated. The injustice is wild. #EdFringe
So... @edfringe if you could send me a contact number to chat with someone about this incident, I would greatly appreciate it. Your staff at @AssemblyFest were horrifically rude, uncooperative and quite frankly, abusive! #EdFringe
— Layton Williams (@LaytonWilliams) August 19, 2018
In a tweet it issued 13 hours later and pinned to the top of its feed, Assembly Festival apologised and said it would be investigating further and wanted its spaces to remain welcoming for everyone.
1/2 We would like to apologise @LaytonWilliams for how the incident in George Square Gardens was handled by our staff and security last night. We are currently looking into the situation with our security contractor and will be investigating this further.
— Assembly Festival (@AssemblyFest) August 20, 2018
2/2 We would also like to reassure all performers and audiences that we are committed to making sure that our spaces remain welcoming for everyone attending shows and using our venues.
— Assembly Festival (@AssemblyFest) August 20, 2018
Jones said his company was employed to make sure the Assembly festival’s venues were safe and secure for all its guests and performers, and always sought to be “polite and respectful to everyone, taking care to explain the reasoning behind our operational decisions”.
He said: “On this occasion, initial investigations indicate that handling of the incident and communication were poor and as a consequence, we share our client’s sentiments and offer our apologies for any distress or upset caused. We will continue to fully investigate this matter to a conclusion.”
