When Security Theatre leads to Racial Profiling

Being accused of racial profiling isn’t something anyone wants to be on the receiving end of. Even less so if you are a shopping mall currently embroiled in a bit of a PR disaster, with annoyed firearm owners assailing your Facebook page with negative reviews and uncomfortable questions. With a rapidly expanding outcry receiving more and more press attention, one would think the last thing the embattled management of Canal Walk currently needs is to be branded as racists.

Strangely enough they managed to spectacularly alienate (and outrage) black shoppers through their unacceptable, disrespectful, and illegal treatment of several potential customers in their parking lot. To be specific, the victims of this unfortunate affair were forced at gunpoint to lay down on the ground as they were forcibly searched by private mall security. Despite not being guilty of anything specific, the four friends were apparently targeted because of the way they were dressed.

The gentleman who was victimised, Kanyiso Majola, has laid charges after the incident. All I can say is good for you, Kanyiso!

It was pointed out by more than one commentator that Canal Walk’s treatment of its patrons went far beyond merely inconveniencing legal gun carriers, and amounted to a rather sweeping assault on civil rights in general. Considering that the proposed (and executed) stop-and-search tactics are completely illegal without the consent of the individual shopper, the perplexing insistence of mall management to continue with this farcical bit of security theatre astounds me.

This balderdash must be put to a stop. Goodness knows how the mall would have treated Kanyiso if he were legally carrying a gun at the time. A black man! And he has a gun! Can you imagine the hysteria?

Hey, Canal Walk? North Korea called: they want their mall back.