A Jamaican-American musician has called out Culture Kings after he was picked over another group when a security alarm went off, forcing the retailer to apologize.
Kiel Hoilett-Riley, better known as Kilo, visited streetwear store Culture Kings on Melbourne’s Hosier Lane earlier this year and stopped to take a photo of his friend at the store’s entrance.
Just seconds after entering, Mr Hoilett-Riley saw a group of three men activate the security alarm as they exited through the security gates of Culture Kings.
He stepped aside to allow a female employee to speak to the group. However, the employee said “all of you” and gestured for the group, along with Mr Hoilett-Riley and his friend, to walk back through the gate.
A Jamaican-American tourist has called out Culture Kings after he was picked over another group when a security alarm went off
Mr Hoilett-Riley walked back through the gate at the same time a member of the other group activated the alarm.
“I literally just walked in and walked out,” Mr Hoilett-Riley told the worker.
She replied, “The more you argue with me, the more I think it’s you. If you just want to keep walking [the gates]that’s all I need from you.’
As Mr Hoilett-Riley walked back through the gate, a member of the other group activated the alarm again.
“Look, the alarm went off,” the worker said.
She then told the group of three men they were ‘good to go’ and asked Mr Hoilett-Riley to empty his bag for inspection.
After checking the bag and finding no stolen items, the worker reprimanded Mr Hoilett-Riley for “throwing words” and called for another worker to come to her door.
When Mr Hoilett-Riley and his friend tried to leave, the worker blocked them and asked to unzip his jacket.
“Why are you arguing with me if you don’t? [take anything]? Just cooperate, that’s all I need,” the worker said.
“I barely got into the store,” Mr. Hoilett-Riley told her.
After compliance, no stolen items were found.
Kiel Hoilett-Riley, known as Kilo, was visiting the Culture Kings store where he was singled out when a security alarm went off
Kiel calls on Culture Kings
He told Daily Mail Australia the situation left him so shaken that his “mind went blank.”
“I complied with her requests, so that triggered me even more,” Mr Hoilett-Riley said.
Kiel (pictured) said Culture Kings’ apology is not enough
‘I really don’t have to steal at all. When everyone else is released, you start to wonder why.”
‘I feel like I have been psychologically damaged by this experience, because how can something so judgmental happen to me? In Australia of all places?’
Mr Hoilett-Riley said he had been ‘quite down since the incident’.
‘I didn’t expect this from Australia.
‘This has never happened to me in America. So to travel outside of it where you feel like things wouldn’t be so bad is shocking.
“Culture kings have reached out and sent one of those copy-and-paste apology notes, and that’s not enough.”
Culture Kings is a popular streetwear and lifestyle retailer with stores across Australia
Culture Kings responds
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Culture Kings ANZ president Ian Everest said he was “aware of the incident.”
“We sincerely apologize for the frustration this has caused customers,” he said.
‘Culture Kings strives to provide all our customers with a welcoming and safe environment. It is never our intention to make customers feel unsafe in our spaces.
“In light of this incident, our associates are undergoing further training so we can continue to cultivate a positive shopping experience.”
