A Baltimore restaurant group issued a statement on Monday after a video went viral showing a Black woman and her 9-year-old son being denied service due to his attire. The video sparked outrage as a white boy dressed similarly appeared to have been served without issue.

The mother, Marcia Grant, shared the incident through two videos and several photos on Facebook, expressing the pain of witnessing her son, Dallas, experience what she believes was racial discrimination.

“I’ve faced racism before, but it’s incredibly difficult when your 9-year-old son is visibly upset because he understands he’s being treated differently than a white child,” Grant wrote in her post.

The event occurred at Ouzo Bay, a dining establishment operated by the Atlas Restaurant Group. In the videos, a manager, who remains unidentified, tells Grant that they cannot serve Dallas because of his outfit. Dallas was wearing athletic shorts, sneakers, and an Air Jordan t-shirt.

The manager explained that the restaurant had a dress code, suggesting that Dallas should change into “non-athletic shorts.” However, Grant then pointed out another young white boy dressed similarly, who had just finished dining with his family. The manager later stated that he hadn’t observed the white boy’s attire.

Atlas Restaurant Group responded to the situation, calling it “disturbing.” The restaurant group placed the manager involved on indefinite leave and issued a public apology.

“This incident is deeply troubling and should never have occurred. We sincerely apologize to Marcia Grant, her son, and everyone affected by this incident,” the statement read.

The group explained that their dress codes are based on customer feedback and are not meant to be discriminatory. After the incident, Atlas promptly revised its policy, exempting children aged 12 and under from the dress code requirements.

As of Tuesday morning, Grant has not responded to requests for further comment.