A City Hall security guard asked three black female councillors if they “were there to clean” according to a tweet by Hackney Central’s Sophie Conway.
Conway, along with Clissold’s Sade Etti and Hoxton West’s Carole Williams, were at City Hall for an event celebrating International Women’s Day last Wednesday.
Attended an #IWD2017 event at City Hall and on arrival was asked by security if we were there to clean. The struggle continues sisters ?? pic.twitter.com/4t7dxhNucm
— Sophie Conway (@SophieConway84) March 12, 2017
Speaking to the Hackney Gazette, Cllr Williams said: “He said it with a straight face, like when someone is trying to be a little bit funny. He was trying to make a joke but it was an incredibly inappropriate joke.”
Williams was also quick to highlight the racial element of the story on Twitter.
What happened on Friday is indicative of a wider issue about the role of women in society and the perceptions and images of black women
— Carole Williams (@carolewilliams) March 15, 2017
City Hall told the Hackney Gazette they are investigating the incident.
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