NBA Player John Henson Accuses Jewelry Store of Racial Discrimination, Documents Experience on Instagram (UPDATE)

This is terrible.

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Image via Complex Original
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UPDATE:

The Whitefish Bay Police Department released a lengthy statement about the incident involving John Henson. Read it here:

Press release from Whitefish Bay Police Department on John Henson incident at jewelry store: pic.twitter.com/c07thsADYf

— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt) October 20, 2015

See original story below.

Earlier today, Bucks forward John Henson—who just signed a new four-year, $44 million contract with Milwaukee—decided he wanted to go to a jewelry store to check out a watch. So he made his way over to Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, a store in Whitefish Bay, Wis. that has been around since 1899, and attempted to take a look at it. However, when he arrived, he claims he was told to “go away” and not permitted inside of the store. The store’s employees also moved to the back of the shop.

A short time later, Henson says two police officers arrived and started questioning him about a number of things. They asked him about the dealer plates on the car he was driving, which was given to him by a local car dealership as part of an endorsement deal he has. He was also asked why he wanted to enter the store. And after it was all over, Henson put up a lengthy post on Instagram accusing Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers of racial discrimination. You can read it here:

 

Went to @schwankekasten jewelry today in White-Fish Bay during regular business hours . They locked the door and told me to go away . After I rang the doorbell twice everyone went to the back. No answered the door or told me what was going on. This was followed by two police cars pulling up and parking across the street and watching me for 5 minutes ( I assumed they were called by the store ) . I was then approached by 2 officers and questioned about the dealer vehicle I was in which is apart of my endorsement deal with Kunes country Chevrolet and asked me what I wanted amongst other things that were just irrelevant to me being there just trying to shop at the store like a normal paying customer would do . I told them I was just trying to look at a watch. He then had to go in the back and tell them to come out it was safe but this is after they ran my plates and I overheard them talking about doing more of a background check on the car. The employees finally came out of the back and proceeded to conduct business like they previously were as we walked up . This was one of the the most degrading and racially prejudice things I've ever experienced in life and wouldn't wish this on anyone . This store needs to be called out and that's what I'm doing . You have no right to profile someone because of their race and nationality and this incident needs to be brought to light and I urge anyone who ever is thinking of shopping here reads this and doesn't bring any business to this discriminatory place .

A photo posted by @johnhenson31 on Oct 19, 2015 at 11:56am PDT

Assuming all of this is true, it’s obviously sad. Very sad. So far, we haven’t seen any reaction from the store. But we’re looking forward to hearing how they try to justify this shameful kind of behavior.

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