- Two people were arrested at an anti-racist protest at a Sesame Street theme park in Philadelphia.
- Police allege that the two unidentified men swore in front of children and blocked the road.
- Sesame Place has been criticized after a video went viral of one of the characters appeared to ignore two Black children.
Two people have been arrested at an anti-racist protest at the Sesame Street theme park, Sesame Place, Philadelphia, after a video went viral showing the Rosita character appearing to deny high-five to two young Black girls.
The incident last week has caused outrage online and in-person, with local newspaper the Courier Times reporting that about two dozen protesters at the park on Saturday.
The local outlet reports that police arrested two men for obstructing the highway, as they were repeatedly stepping into moving traffic in an attempt to cause a disruption.
Police say the two unidentified men also swore in front of children.
On July 17, Sesame Place acknowledged the incident on their Instagram but said, "The Rosita performer did not intentionally ignore the girl and is devastated about the misunderstanding."
—Alicia Roberts (@ARobertsCBS) July 23, 2022
The viral video that sparked outrage was posted by Jodi Brown and appeared to show her daughter Skylar Brown, 6, and niece Nylah Brown, 6, being ignored by the Rosita character during a parade at the theme park.
The video, posted on Instagram, shows the Rosita character high-fiving and shaking hands with members of the crowd until she appears to give a no signal to a person behind the girls and the girls themselves. The two girls, sporting Sesame Street-themed backpacks, seem confused as the character passes by their outstretched arms.
The viral clip caught the attention of Grammy-winning singer Kelly Rowland, among others, reported Insider. Rowland reposted the video to her Instagram story on Sunday with the caption "OH HELL NAWWW" scrawled across it. "TF! This just made me so mad!" she wrote in another caption for the clip.
—Leslie Mac (@LeslieMac) July 17, 2022
Speaking about the change needed at the park, Cody Owens of the NAACP in Delaware said, "The number one thing is making sure that the kids still have fun here. That's what this is all about, and no one should be discriminated against based on your skin color, your race, whatever it may be," CBS Philadelphia reports.
Renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump, who represented George Floyd's family, held a press conference with the two girls and their mother on Saturday.
Crump said, "That character may have ignored them, but we will never ignore our Black children. They have every right to be given full consideration and respect of any child whether white, Brown, red or Black," Crump said.