Civil Rights Attorney Sherrilyn Ifill Live-Tweets Amtrak Conductor Trying to Make Her Move to the Back of the Train
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund President Sherrilyn Ifill live-tweeted an experience in which an Amtrak conductor tried to move her toward the back of a train that had no assigned seating, and gave a variety of reasons for doing so.
On Friday evening, the famed civil rights attorney addressed the first in a series of tweets to the Amtrak Twitter account, writing “I’m being asked to leave my seat on train 80 which I just boarded in D.C. There are no assigned seats on this train. The conductor has asked me to leave my seat because she has ‘other people coming who she wants to give this seat.’ Can you please explain?”
.@Amtrak I’m being asked to leave my seat on train 80 which I just boarded in D.C. There are no assigned seats on this train. The conductor has asked me to leave my seat because she has”other people coming who she wants to give this seat.” Can you please explain?
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
Minutes later, Ifill tweeted “I’ve made clear I’m not moving.”
I’ve made clear I’m not moving. https://t.co/fCtXIMqXMd
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
What followed was a real-time account of Ifill’s attempt to keep her seat, and get a satisfactory explanation for the situation, as other Twitter users reacted.
Just me. She said she has ppl “getting on at other stops.” I said I’m getting off at the next stop. “Please follow me,” she said. “I’ve found a seat for you.” What???? No. https://t.co/sycTzrc7uw
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
Then I’m up quick, fast and in a hurry. https://t.co/2mwX8ryrJl
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
Ifill continued to provide updates on the situation, including the shifting explanation for the need to move her seat.
But this was truly bizarre. I left the train at Baltimore and called over the lead conductor and the agent/conductor who attempted to remove me from my seat. I laid it out. She mow said “she wanted to keep empty seats at the front.” Me: “oh so there were no “special passengers.”
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
At the point I said I was getting off in Baltimore – the next stop is on the train – she should have known that she had totally screwed up and apologized. Instead “follow me. I’ve found a seat for you.” Lead conductor admits he has no explanation and apologizes. I get his name.
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
What really disturbs me is how someone with this authority can just entirely make up something so ridiculous and approach a customer in this way. I did wonder when she was carrying on – how far will I take this? And the immediate answer in my mind was “all the way.”
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
When I was laying her out to the conductor at one point I said, “I can sit where I want,” and thought – is it 1950? https://t.co/JIvlHo6Wnj
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 17, 2020
As of Friday night, Ifill said she had received an apology from the lead conductor, but nothing official from Amtrak.
Yes. Apology from tge lead conductor. Nothing officially from Amtrak, so…. https://t.co/G2yEPcr5j0
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 18, 2020
The railroad did release a statement Friday night, before they contacted Ifill.
“We have reached out to Ms. Ifill. We sincerely apologize for the miscommunication and inconvenience, and are looking into it.“ – @Amtrak responds after this viral tweet. https://t.co/0w5gJtPdD2 pic.twitter.com/Pv7bgRdIEm
— Anna-Lysa Gayle (@AnnaLysaGayle) January 18, 2020
On Saturday morning, Amtrak finally managed to contact Ms. Ifill to apologize “for the miscommunication & inconvenience.”
Good morning @Amtrak. I see that @AmtrakOIG is following me this morning and yet still no outreach to me on this platform. You are doing this all wrong, I can assure you.
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 18, 2020
And yet now you’ve figured out how to @ me. So you’ve reached me. I am now on the phone with your official. https://t.co/Zv8tcUEbEb
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@Sifill_LDF) January 18, 2020
As Ifill noted, however, the Amtrak Twitter account did manage to respond to many other customers on Friday night while ignoring her.
