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The U.S. Department of Justice sued United Parks & Resorts, the parent company of SeaWorld and Busch Gardens theme parks, alleging that a ban on wheeled walkers with seats violates federal disability civil-rights law. The complaint filed on Thursday seeks a jury trial in Orlando and asks the company to change its policy for the devices, known as rollators, according to the DOJ’s allegations.
The department’s civil rights division asked for a jury trial to determine whether United Parks & Resorts violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, the AP reported. The DOJ also sought damages for visitors it said were denied access to the rollators after the ban began last November.
In its filing, the DOJ said the policy affected visitors at multiple parks, including in Orlando and Tampa. The DOJ’s allegations included claims that security staff stopped people using the walkers at entrances and did not allow them to bring the rollators inside, AP reported.
The DOJ’s complaint said several visitors with wheeled walkers, including two veterans with mobility disabilities, were prevented from bringing the devices into the parks after being stopped at security. The department’s request for damages reflects its position that the ban’s impact on accessibility continued after the policy was adopted.
United Parks & Resorts disputed the DOJ’s allegations in an emailed statement on Thursday. The company said the policy was implemented to address repeated safety incidents involving misuse of rollators with seats and to enhance guest safety while continuing to provide accessible options for all guests.
The company said its parks offered alternatives to the wheeled walkers at no cost to visitors, according to its statement. United Parks & Resorts said it would respond to the lawsuit through the legal process.