In brief
The owner of the Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota, was found liable for discrimination against Native Americans after a jury awarded damages to plaintiffs who were denied service. The lawsuit stemmed from social media posts by the hotel's owner, which led to protests and widespread condemnation. The decision follows a history of racial tensions in the area, where a significant portion of the population identifies as American Indian.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A federal jury ruled on Friday that Connie Uhre, the owner of the Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City, is liable for discrimination against Native Americans, awarding damages to plaintiffs who had been denied service.The jury delivered a significant verdict where they concluded that Uhre would owe tens of thousands of dollars in damages to various individuals, including a symbolic $1 to the NDN Collective, the Indigenous advocacy group that filed the suit in 2022. Wizipan Garriott, president of the NDN Collective and a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, clarified that the lawsuit aimed to put the discrimination on record rather than to seek financial compensation.This case emerged from Uhre's controversial social media statements in 2022, where she announced a ban on Native Americans following a violent incident at the hotel. The statements stirred significant backlash and led to protests throughout Rapid City, drawing criticism from local tribes and even the city's mayor.The jury also found merit in Retsel Corporation's countersuit against the NDN Collective, awarding them $812 due to alleged nuisance during protests. In a related consent decree with the U.S. Justice Department, Uhre apologized publicly and accepted a four-year ban from managing the hotel. Rapid City, known for its proximity to Mount Rushmore, has a history marked by racial tensions, with at least 8% of its approximately 80,000 residents identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native.}
