Women say S.A. mall cops arrested them for kissing

[CatWoman]

SAN ANTONIO — Jessica Garcia intends to prove in court that security officers at Rolling Oaks Mall unfairly targeted her and her girlfriend when they were arrested in December on trespassing and other charges.

Garcia said the officers — a Bexar County sheriff's deputy and an employee from a private security company — began harassing them Dec. 26 because her girlfriend gave her a kiss on the cheek while sitting inside the mall on a bench.

Mall officials said the women, both 22, were acting inappropriately and were told to leave because they were not complying with the shopping center's code of conduct.

Danielle Pardue, the mall's marketing director, denies the women's claims of discrimination and said security officers would evict anyone found kissing in the mall, regardless of sexual orientation.

“If our security officer feels that is disruptive to our shoppers and our business, then they have that authority to make that determination,” she said. “It's their responsibility to make sure our shopping place is an enjoyable shopping place for everyone to be.”

Pardue also stressed that contrary to what the women claim, they weren't arrested because they were kissing, but because they re-entered the mall after being told to leave.

But Garcia feels otherwise.

She was scheduled to appear in court today, but her lawyer had to postpone the date for later this month.

Garcia said the officers intentionally harassed the couple, accusing them of kissing and having “swapped spit.”

Civil rights advocates expressed dismay over the mall's policy against public displays of affection, such as kissing, and question the wide discretion officers have to enforce it.

“What if they're holding hands, is that going to be enough?” asked Patrick Filyk, president of the San Antonio chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. “Seems like a real slippery slope for management.”

J. Lynne Armstrong, co-chairwoman of the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio and a clinical counselor, said such a policy raises troubling questions.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/6243685.html

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

1. Contact Information:

Rolling Oaks Mall
6909 N Loop 1604 E
San Antonio, TX 78247
Phone: [phone]

https://www.simon.com/mall/feedback.aspx?ID=228

Parent Company:
Simon Property Group
https://www.simon.com/about_simon/contact_spg/default.aspx

[Rebubula]

2. Texas???

Well...no real surprise there.

I will never understand people that have any problems with other people's love and expression thereof.

[baldguy]

3. "It's their responsibility to make sure our shopping place..."

"...is an enjoyable shopping place for everyone to be."

Everyone except homosexuals, apparently.

[guitar man]

4. Dammit!!

He's gone to damn far this time, someone needs to knock him off his damn little segway! :grr:

[CatWoman]

8. ROFL!!

I still can't believe that movie opened at number one in the country!!

[guitar man]

11. me either!! nt

[Dukkha]

5. ooh mall cops! our 38th line of defense

Somewhere between the Alladin Shriners and the League of Women Voters

[Warren DeMontague]

6. Well, I'm sure they would have done exactly the same thing to a hetero couple.

I'm sure. :eyes:

[underseasurveyor]

7. God my sister and I hug and kiss each other all the time.

What if they were sisters or mother/daughter or brothers or father/son? What's next?

ALL RIGHT, NOW HERE THIS.... NOBODY IS TO TOUCH ANYONE EVER AGAIN!

Hell if I lived in the area I'd gather a whole bunch of people together and go to that mall and walk around hugging and kissing and holding hands :-)

[SmileyRose]

9. OK, there's smooch on the cheek and "get a room".

I have no doubt in my mind this was discrimination. Even so, at my local mall if the teenagers are at it like the clothes are fixin' to come off then security might intervene. Who knows who is telling the truth on this story. The women say smooch on the cheek and the cop says "swap spit" with I assume means "get a room".

Either way, this is the worst of PR moves. Stores are desperate for sales and this mall wants to be known as hardassed? Doh!!

[oldnslo]

10. Their problem is obviously a breach of mall etiquette--the only

Socially acceptable exchange these days at malls is shots from a 9mm pistol.......

[surrealAmerican]

12. Do sheriff's deputies usually enforce ...

... a "shopping center's code of conduct"? Shouldn't they have more important things to do?