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The pair claims everyone else in the line for the amusement park's Jersey Devil Coaster ride was waved through on Aug. 31, 2021, but they were stopped, asked to show the contents of their pockets, and searched, according to a lawsuit filed Oct. 19, 2022.
They suit filed last October in Ocean County Superior Court alleges they were stopped because they were wearing hijabs which "marked them out as Muslim or being perceived as individuals of Middle Eastern ethnicity or descent," while waiting in line with no other visible Muslims.
They had already put their phones in lockers and other had their park membership cards in their pockets, the mother told the ride attendant according to the suit.
Following a pat down by the attendant the daughter was in tears, the suit explains. Then they were told to place their membership cards and keys in lockers with their phones and go to the end of the line, but they refused and were asked to leave the park or the attendant would call security— soon two security guards arrived.
“One of the security guards commented that (the) ride attendant pat-down of plaintiffs was unacceptable,” and asked the mom to go to the office to file a complaint, the suit states. But in the office, she was told she and her daughter would still have to leave the park.
At this point, the mom was in tears and they were escorted to the gates. They "received an email canceling their memberships shortly after," the suit alleges.
The family is suing Six Flags Great Adventure and 10 unnamed theme park workers for public accommodation discrimination in violation of the state’s laws against discrimination and they are asking the court to award compensatory and punitive damages, along with enhanced attorneys’ fees and court costs.
Daily Voice reached out to Six Flags and has been told someone will be in touch, on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. The same day, we also spoke with an attorney on the case who says "it is the office policy not to comment on active litigation."
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