Regal Movie Theater Target Of Protests By Special Needs Families

GAMBRILLS, MD — A theater chain has offered free tickets to more than 100 special needs campers who were turned away from a movie theater last week, even as dozens of parents and kids protested the incident on Saturday at the Regal Waugh Chapel and IMAX. Rick Anthony, director of Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks, said 140 kids and counselors from the Mayo Beach Adaptive Camp planned to see a movie at the theater on July 23, but were not admitted to the showing.

Anthony said in a Facebook post on the parks department's page that the agency will boycott the theater until a public apology is made, and Regal officials explain why the campers were denied their showing. Regal offered a private apology, reports say, but won't discuss the issue publicly.

A customer service manager from Regal Cinemas told Anthony the chain is looking into the issue and offered free tickets for the camp. “She did say she’s offering movie tickets for the entire camp, but I got nothing else formally from her,” Anthony told the Capital Gazette. County staffers will discuss whether to accept the free tickets.

An estimated 50 children and parents protested with signs outside the theater on Saturday. Their messages included "I Am Not A Liability," and "Inclusion Is Not A Privilege It's a Right." Parent Michael Kenny posted a message of thanks to Anthony on Facebook and shared photos from the protest.

"Please know many parents who were both present and who I have communicated with in social media will continue to push Regal to train all employees, from the top down in bias and sensitivity training. Corporate’s free ticket “hush money” shows that it truly needs to start at the top," Kenny wrote.

Regal officials told the Capital they had contacted county staff and camp officials. “As we look to fully understand the events that took place during the sold-out Summer Movie Express screening, first and foremost, we want to make sure the children are taken care of and are in the process of coordinating a screening for them,” the theater chain told the newspaper.

Delegate Heather Bagnall attended the protest rally and thanked Kenny for organizing it, and county officials for supporting the adaptive camp.

"Sometimes we make mistakes but it is the failure by Regal Cinemas to recover and do better which has become so problematic. ... A person with a disability is not a liability," Bagnall wrote.

In an open letter to parents on Facebook Aug. 2 Anthony wrote, "I am writing to you today to express my disappointment and concern for the lack of information we have been provided. I also want to assure you we are doing everything we can to protect your children and provide them with the ultimate summer camp experience. I fully anticipated a formal response and apology from Regal Cinemas, and am baffled by their insensitivity to adequately address this issue in a professional and timely manner."

Patch called the theater twice in an attempt to obtain comment on the controversy, but a manager did not come to the phone.

Most commenters on the Facebook post criticized the theater chain for not admitting the campers, whose tickets had ben purchased in advance.

"My daughter and her fellow campers were devastated," wrote parent Sara Rai. "After taking a bus ride to the theater, then having to take another bus ride back to camp without seeing the movie, it was heartbreaking. We will never visit this theater again."

Anthony told the Capital Gazette that the campers were at first told the movie had been oversold but later informed they couldn't watch the movie because they were too much of a liability. Camp Director Joe Mavor told the newspaper he let theater staff know the 140 tickets he purchased were for a camp of children with special needs. When he offered to buy tickets for another showing, Mavor said a Regal Waugh Chapel theater employee said seating the special needs children with the public would be a liability issue.

"I am appalled at their silence on this issue. No apology or statement of their commitment to serving individuals with disabilities with the same dignity and respect they promise to all of their customers? Sad," wrote Michele Swartz Gallerizzo on Facebook.

Until a full explanation of the problem is given, Anthony said the Recreation and Parks camps will not visit the theater. He also said Regal needs to make a "formal and public apology ... to the campers, parents and the Department of Recreation and Parks."

He's also seeking written reassurances from Regal Cinemas that steps and training have been done to prevent this from ever happening again.