Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The owners of a hotel and casino in South Dakota allegedly violated the civil rights of Native Americans by denying them access to their hotels, according to the Department of Justice.
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the Department of Justice accused the the Retsel Corporation, and two of the company's directors, Connie Uhre and her son, Nicholas Uhre, of violating Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
"Policies prohibiting Native Americans from accessing public establishments are both racially discriminatory and unlawful," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. "The Justice Department will continue to vigorously protect the rights of all people to go about their daily lives free from discrimination at hotels, restaurants and other public accommodations around the country."
The Uhres own the Grand Gateway Hotel and the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino in Rapid City.
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The complaint alleges that on March 20, Connie Uhre told Rapid City hotel owners and managers that she did not want to allow Native Americans on the property.
"The problem is we do not know the nice ones from the bad natives," Uhre said, according to the complaint. "So we just have to say no to them."
That same day, she allegedly posted on Facebook that "we will no longer allow any Native American [sic]" in the Grand Gateway or in the Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino.
Then on March 21 and March 22, the Uhres allegedly turned away Native Americans who sought to book a room at the Grand Gateway.
"Restricting access to a hotel based on a person's race is prohibited by federal law," U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota said. "We are committed to protecting that fundamental right for Native Americans."
