An NAACP official says she was asked to give up her seat without explanation on an Amtrak Train.
What We Know:
- Sherrilyn Ifill, head of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund says shortly after she boarded train 80 in Washington D.C., she was asked to change seats.
- In her original tweet on Friday detailing the encounter, she noted that there were not any assigned seats on Amtrak trains. The agent said that other people were coming who she wanted to give the seat to.
.@Amtrak I’m being asked to leave my seat on train 80 which I just boarded in D.C. There are no assigned seats on this train. The conductor has asked me to leave my seat because she has”other people coming who she wants to give this seat.” Can you please explain?
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
- Her tweet circulated for over 24 hours and gained 50,000 likes and over 11,000 retweets until Amtrak reached out.
- She spoke with the agent and the lead conductor and they explained the reasoning for the move would be so that they keep empty seats towards the front of the car. Ifill feels as though this completely contradicts the agents previous statement of having other people who would want the seats.
- In a tweet thread on Friday, Ifill said “I laid out the facts and made clear that I know that it is absolutely contrary to policy and unacceptable to pick one passenger from an unassigned seat and demand she move”.
- Social media was outraged. Many supporters compared the incident to the Civil Rights Movement when civil rights icon, Rosa Parks was asked to give up her seat to move to the back of the bus in 1955.
- Amtrak says they attempted to make contact with Ifill, yet both Ifill and the NAACP deny it. Ifill notes that Amtrak had access to her Twitter, email through her booking info, and complete contact information due to her being a Select Executive Plus Member.
The company and Ifill have made contact. Ifill describes the exchange as respectful and apologetic.
