Wal-Mart asks blacks to leave store; apologizes

At around 5 p.m. on Sunday, a male voice announced over the loudspeaker, "Attention, Walmart customers: All black people, leave the store now."

Immediately after the announcement, the manager took over the public access system and apologized for the remark.

Later the officials contacted the Washington Township Police Department, which has launched an investigation into the issue, to find out who “acted in an inappropriate manner.”

Irate customers
Though the company has apologized and said that the announcement was "unacceptable," this has not pacified the irate Wal-Mart customers.

Following the racial remark, many customers just left their carts in disgust and walked out of the store, not believing what had just happened.

This is not the first time that the company has landed in hot water. Over the past few years, Wal-Mart has been mired in controversies and been the target of lawsuits ranging from single plaintiff suits to multi-million dollar class actions.

A customer named Sheila Ellington, who was in the store with her friend, said, “I want to know why such statements are being made, because it flies in the face of what we teach our children about tolerance for all," and added that she will never shop at the store until it changes its public address system.

Another customer named Patricia Covington stated that she depends on Wal-Mart for all her needs but will boycott and will not “walk through those doors” until the issue is solved.

Wal-Mart’s controversial past
This is not the first time that the company has landed in hot water. Over the past few years, Wal-Mart has been mired in controversies and been the target of lawsuits, ranging from single plaintiff suits to multi-million dollar class actions.

In 2001, Wal-Mart paid $6 million dollars to settle 13 lawsuits, indicting the company for discriminating and infringing Disabilities Act.

In 2004, the company faced a class action lawsuit after its employees charged the company with gender bias, i.e. paying women less and offering them fewer opportunities for promotion.

In 2007, another class action lawsuit was filed by African-American truck drivers, who accused the company for not hiring or deterring them from applying for Wal-Mart positions. It paid $17.5 million to settle the case.

Later in 2009, it again landed in trouble for ignoring the racial issue and allowing its Latino employees to be addressed with racial slurs like “wetback.”