Bishop Barber hires lawyer after being kicked out of NC movie theater

Barber, who was there to see the movie “The Color Purple” with his mother, was escorted out of the theater by an officer after he tried to use his own chair in the handicapped section of the theater.

Rev. Barber speaks out for ADA rights after theater calls police on him; he brought his own chair

He was accompanied Monday by clergy, other people with disabilities and disability advocates. He was joined via Zoom by the president of the American Association of People with Disabilities.

Barber said Monday the case has now taken a legal turn, announcing he has hired nationally recognized civil rights attorney Harry Daniels. He did not announce plans to file a lawsuit.

"This is not just about me," Barber said. "This is so much bigger than just about me. We are very serious about systemic change but you have to start with the right set of facts."

While Barber asserts he should have not been asked to leave the theater, he has commended the Greenville Police Department for how its officers calmly handled the situation.

Barber has a bone disease and cannot sit in a regular chair due to pain in his hips. He walks with two canes, and an assistant carries a special chair so he can sit everywhere he goes.

Barber said he has used his special medical chair while in Broadway shows, as well as the White House. In the video, he addresses the camera, appearing surprised to have been asked to leave because of his chair.