Six Flags Sued Over Alleged Racial Slurs

A civil rights lawsuit has been filed against Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park, alleging that a park employee made racially derogatory comments about a black man visiting one of the attractions.

Park officials said Wednesday that any employee known to have made such statements would be immediately fired. “If it comes down to the fact that this person did say something like that, we would fire them on the spot,” said Magic Mountain spokesman Andy Gallardo.

In a lawsuit filed Aug. 10 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Thurman Brown, a black computer engineer, alleges that as he rode a bungee-jump attraction on Aug. 12, 1999, a park employee videotaping the event derided him with racial slurs. Brown purchased a tape showing his adventure on the ride and when he played it at home he heard the offensive comments in the background, said his attorney, Robert Weinstein.

Brown is seeking more sensitivity training at the park and unspecified monetary damages, Weinstein said.

Without admitting wrongdoing, the amusement park has settled past lawsuits brought by minorities who said they were unfairly barred from the park because security guards thought they were gang members.