Sesame Place has apologized after one of its costumed characters was accused of ignoring two Black children during a parade at the Philadelphia amusement park, CNN reports.
On Sunday (July 17), the mother of two Black girls posted a video of her daughters reaching out to hug Rosita, a Sesame Place character, only to be seemingly disregarded.
In the video, Rosita can be seen shaking her head no as she walks past the two children.
“I will never step foot in @sesameplace ever again !” The mother captioned her video on Instagram. “And please feel free to repost this. Actually, run me my money back.”
Sesame Place Philadelphia initially released a statement in response to the video saying, “Our brand, our park, and our employees stand for inclusivity and equality in all forms. That is what Sesame Place is about and we do not tolerate any behaviors in our parks that are contrary to that commitment.”
“We also are and have always been, committed to making sure every family and every child has the best possible experience at our parks and we are incredibly disappointed when that does not happen,” the statement continued.
Following widespread backlash from celebrities, activists, and social media users, Sesame Place issued another statement condoning the incident.
“Our brand, our park, and our employees stand for inclusivity and equality in all forms. That is what Sesame Place is about and we do not tolerate any behaviors in our parks that are contrary to that commitment,” the statement reads.
“We also are, and have always been, committed to making sure every family and every child has the best possible experience at our parks and we are incredibly disappointed when that does not happen.”
Still, many remain outraged by the incident and Sesame Place’s initial lack of accountability.
Singer and actress Kelly Rowland commented on the Philadelphia amusement park’s first statement, “Those gorgeous girls will never forget that feeling! THEY ARE KIDS!!!!! You should be ASHAMED of yourselves for this pathetic statement!”
Comedian DL Hughley tweeted, “It’s not shocking when someone in a costume at #SesamePlace gets to act racist! Why do think they wear hoods?? #TeamDl”
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