CHEEKTOWAGA – Three members of the Cheektowaga amateur high school hockey club were suspended after a video was made public showing members of the team making monkey sounds and calling an African American player from Amherst a monkey.
Town of Cheektowaga Councilmember Brian Pilarski is the chairperson of the town’s Youth and Recreation Committee, and he says two players and the coach have been suspended for the rest of the season.
“We assure our residents, the Amherst hockey team and others that timely and appropriate steps were taken by the Town of Cheektowaga Recreation Department to address this situation in accordance with the policies outlined in our partnership with the Western New York Amateur Hockey League,” Mr. Pilarski said. “There is zero tolerance for anything like those actions described. Cheektowaga remains committed to ensuring that all youth thrive in an environment where they feel safe, welcomed and respected.”
An Amherst parent took to the airwaves of WGRZ-TV Friday night and levied a charged against the Cheektowaga amateur hockey team saying that team members were making monkey sounds and called his son a monkey.
Video of the incident from November was posted to YouTube in January.
“This situation will continue to be investigated by the Western New York Amateur Hockey League and Town of Cheektowaga so we can hold anyone else involved accountable for their actions and prevent this from happening in the future,” Mr. Pilarski added. “Further action may come after a full investigation by both the Town of Cheektowaga and Western New York Amateur Hockey League is completed.”