On October 14, 2010, Caitlin Breedlove and her  girlfriend, Shorlette Ammons, were sitting on an outdoor bench in Cameron Village shopping center in Raleigh, enjoying the beautiful weather after eating lunch at a nearby  restaurant.  Breedlove and Ammons had their arms around each other and exchanged a brief kiss on the cheek when a security guard approached them and told them to leave because “no one wants to see that at Cameron  Village.”  Breedlove asked the security guard whether they would be asked to leave if the two were a man and a woman, and the guard said that no, that would be different.  Breedlove then asked the guard to call a supervisor, and the supervisor told them to leave as well. 

Breedlove, who happens to be the co-director of Southerners On New Ground (SONG), then contacted the ACLU-NC for help. Our Legal Director, Katy Parker, immediately contacted York Properties, the company that manages Cameron Village,   expressing our deep concern about this incident and demanding to see any company policies related to ejecting individuals for public displays of affection. 

After the ACLU-NCLF and Breedlove spoke out in the media and called for  reforms, officials with York Properties apologized to Breedlove and Ammons, suspended the security guard, and indicated a willingness to adopt better training for their employees concerning nondiscrimination.  Approximately 150 people attended a peaceful demonstration at Cameron Village following this incident, speaking out for equal rights and showing support for the couple.

“It is so important that LGBTQ people, especially young people, understand that we can gather our resources and collectively organize to win our dignity back when things like this happen,” said Breedlove.  “In this situation, the ACLU of North Carolina was an example from the beginning of what can happen when powerful allies listen and respond to injustice in our communities, and join with other leaders to fight back. We know we can count on the ACLU-NC to fight injustice by our side.” 

SONG and the ACLU-NC are working to make sure that this doesn’t happen to any other same-sex couples at Cameron Village.  Until we see York Properties actually implement strong nondiscrimination policies and better training for its employees, we do not consider this matter closed.  We and our coalition partners are also advocating for nondiscrimination policies statewide, in both the public and private sectors.

UPDATE: On Oct. 15, York Properties offered to meet with the couple, and posted this statement on the Cameron Village Facebook page:

"Cameron Village Shopping Center: Cameron Village is a family friendly shopping center that welcomes the entire community. We sincerely regret Wed. events & we have contacted Ms. Breedlove and have set a meeting. Cameron Village is committed to maintaining an open and welcoming environment for everyone. (in the FB thread)…Thanks for all the feedback. We wanted you to know that the officer involved was immediately suspended. The supervising officer and all security officers will receive additional sensitivity training. thanks, CV"