Well known film actor Forest Whitaker was publicly frisked in the middle of a New York deli after being accused of shoplifting which leads many to believe the only thing that made him suspicious was his race.

It all happened February 17, when the Hollywood millionaire was on his way out of the deli. Suddenly an employee stopped Whitaker and accused him of grabbing some items off the shelf and trying to leave without paying for them. Even bystanders who were inside the Upper West Side Milano Market were shocked and in disbelief when they saw the employee frisk the famous actor in public for all to see.

Needless to say, the rich actor hadn’t stolen a single thing from the establishment and he left the deli outraged. “This was an upsetting incident given the fact that Forest did nothing more than walk into the deli,” his representative told TMZ. “What is most unfortunate about this situation is the inappropriate way store employees are treating patrons of their establishment.”

The question remains: is it all patrons being treated this way? Or would the employee not dare touch Forest if he was a white man in a business suit?