Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • All new at 4:30.

  • We're learning two families are now suing Universal Orlando after an incident in which one of their actors is seen using a gesture used by white supremacists.

  • Yeah, this all happened while taking pictures with those kids.

  • News 6's Crystal Moyer is live outside Universal Studios.

  • And Crystal, why are the families suing?

  • Well, those families are suing for emotional and physical damages as a result of photos taken with the now former actor here at Universal Studios in Orlando.

  • According to a report in the lawsuit, a 6-year-old girl brought the photo from her vacation here to school for a project,

  • was told she couldn't even show it to her class because of the hand gesture in the images.

  • That gesture known to some people as a white supremacy symbol.

  • We're talking about this photo here, taken in 2019.

  • Court documents show the bi-racial child took this picture with the Universal employee dressed as Gru from the "Despicable Me" franchise.

  • It was during a character breakfast at one of Universal's resorts in Orlando.

  • The actor displays the "OK" symbol on the girl's shoulder.

  • We've blurred the image as it may be offensive to some.

  • The gesture defined as a hate symbol by the American Anti-Defamation League.

  • The latest court documents filed referencing several high-profile crimes in which the gesture was used, including the riot at the US capital in January.

  • Another family coming forward, their Hispanic 5-year-old daughter having taken a photo with the same actor a month prior while visiting Universal Studios.

  • The actor making the same hand gesture.

  • Both families filing a lawsuit against Universal Orlando on behalf of their children, represented by a firm out of Miami.

  • Some of the injuries listed in the lawsuit include battery of unwanted touching, mental anguish, emotional distress, and humiliation.

  • The families are seeking more than $30,000 in damages, claiming Universal Orlando violated the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992.

  • We're told the Universal Orlando employee involved was fired In October of 2019.

  • The families are claiming the company is refusing to release the employee's name.

  • I reached out to Universal Orlando today, and they tell me that the company does not comment on any pending litigation.

  • We'll keep you updated on this case and bring you updates here on News 6 and clickorlando.com.

  • For now, reporting live in Orange County, Crystal Moyer, getting results, News 6.

All new at 4:30.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it