Food server sues Houston Rockets, accuses players of anti-gay slurs

A food server who worked inside the locker rooms at the Brooklyn Nets’ Barclays Center is suing the Houston Rockets and the company that oversees the arena’s catering, claiming he was subjected to anti-gay slurs before a game last year and then wrongfully terminated after he complained about the alleged abuse, according to multiple media reports.

Rasean Tate, 28, who is gay, is suing in Brooklyn federal court alleging civil rights violations and anti-gay discrimination.

Tate’s lawsuit contends that he was setting up a buffet inside the Rockets’ locker room on Feb. 22, 2013, when the remarks were made.

“When the plaintiff’s back was turned to defendant Rockets players, he began to hear laughter and taunting voices saying, ‘Get this ... out of here!’ ” according to the suit, as well as “‘He’s trying to catch a sneaky-peeky!’”

The suit alleges other inappropriate statements were made by the players, who were not named. Tate claims a Nets representative witnessed the incident and told him to leave the locker room.

Two days later, a catering manager offered a verbal apology and promised the situation would be addressed, the suit states. But Tate claims that he was phased out of all locker room responsibilities after he had informed the catering staff of the incident, and that his pay and number of work hours dropped as a result.

Tate was suspended in January for failing to give a customer a fork, the suit says, and later dismissed without pay.

“But for plaintiff’s sexual orientation and his complaints about harassment and discrimination based on his sexual orientation, defendants would not have retaliated against him and would not have treated him differently,” the suit states.

Spokespeople for the Barclays Center; Levy Restaurant Holdings, which handles catering at the arena, and the Rockets did not immediately respond to the New York Post’s requests for comment.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch