The New York Post is reporting that several members of the Houston Rockets are at the center of a lawsuit filed by former Barclays Center food server Rasean Tate, who claims he was pelted with homophobic slurs by a number of players on the visiting Rockets as he set up the buffet in the Houston locker room.
Tate claims that he was setting up a buffet in the visiting Rockets locker room before a game on Feb. 22, 2013, when he was all but chased from the area because he was gay
“When the plaintiff’s back was turned to defendant Rockets players, he began to hear laughter and taunting voices saying ‘get this f—– out of here!’ ” according to the suit, and ” ‘He’s trying to catch a sneaky-peeky!’ “
The reeling server said that the jabs and snickering didn’t let up.
“These series of comments were repeated a number of times by defendant Rockets players and staff,” according to the suit. “Plaintiff could hear defendant Rockets players overlapping voices and laughter.”
Tate’s suit also alleges that after he complained about the incident to superiors, he was slowly phased out of locker room and other duties until he was suspended and finally let go by the catering company.
“This was solely in retaliation for his complaints about the harassment and discrimination he faced by defendant Rockets players and because of plaintiff’s sexual orientation,” the suit claims.
The lawsuit did not name the Rockets players involved in the incident by name. More on this story as it develops.