AMC Employee Encourages Racism and Harassment Toward Hampton University Women Students

My friends and I, students from Hampton University, recently had a disappointing and troubling experience at an AMC theater. During the previews, a white male patron turned around and said to us, “If you’re going to be on your phone, turn down the brightness.” When we looked back, he confirmed, “Yes, I’m talking to y’all.” In response, we turned our phone brightness up to its highest setting—not to disrupt anyone, but as a reaction to his condescending tone. Note, our brightness was at a low level + is it the previews.

The man quickly rushed leaving the theater and returned with an AMC employee. The employee approached us and said, “Please be off your phone during the movie.” We explained that the movie hadn’t even started—it was still the previews—and we didn’t understand why a complaint was even being entertained at this point.

What made the situation worse was the AMC employee’s dismissive and inappropriate response. After hearing our side, he said, “Just make sure you’re doing the right thing so we don’t have to call the police.” Call the police? Over phone brightness during previews? This comment, paired with the disproportionate reaction to such a minor issue, felt deeply rooted in racial bias.

As paying customers, we deserve to be treated with respect and fairness. Instead, we were singled out, harassed, and made to feel unsafe in a space where we should have been able to enjoy our evening. The employee’s willingness to entertain an unfounded complaint and escalate the situation with a thinly veiled threat is unacceptable.

AMC should ensure that their staff are properly trained to handle complaints impartially and professionally. More importantly, the company needs to address the bias and racism embedded in how situations like this are handled. We hope AMC takes this feedback seriously to prevent other customers—especially students and young Black women—from facing similar mistreatment in the future.