Maria Spooner, far left, protests outside the South Boston YMCA after the police was called on her for refusing to give up her seat to a white woman (Photo courtesy of The Gazette-Virginian)

MIAMI – A Black woman is accusing the YMCA in South Boston of racism after officials called the police on her when she refused to give up her seat to a white woman in a fitness class, according to the Atlanta Black Star.

Maria Spooner, 72, alleged racism during the incident which occurred on August 18.

Spooner arrived for her group exercise class and took a seat in the front row when a woman entered the room and wanted her spot.

An instructor asked Spooner to move and after she was refused, called the police.

Police said Spooner was disrupting class operations and ignored repeated requests from staff to relocate.

Spooner ultimately complied with officers’ orders and left the YMCA.

Following the incident, Spooner’s family is calling for a formal apology from the YMCA and “corrective measures” to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A protest erupted outside the facility as demonstrators called for equal rights and a boycott of the organization nationwide.