TikTok star Oliver James asked to leave Breakers Palm Beach; here for Barbara Bush Foundation
A popular TikTok star was removed from The Breakers property Monday morning ahead of a scheduled Tuesday speaking engagement with the Barbara Bush Foundation at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach.
Oliver James was live on TikTok on his account @oliverspeaks1 during the incident, according to numerous clips of that live video that already have been reposted to TikTok. James has more than 270,000 followers on the social media platform.
James, a 35-year-old from California, has gained international renown for his efforts to teach himself how to read.
He frequently uses his live TikTok videos to practice his reading, often while exercising. James was setting up a tripod on one of the lawns at The Breakers Palm Beach on Monday morning to record video for his TikTok channel when he was approached by Breakers staff, he told the Palm Beach Daily News on Tuesday.
More on Oliver James: TikTok star removed from Breakers Palm Beach, works to break stigma of illiteracy
According to clips of his live video from Monday morning, James was asked to leave The Breakers property. Palm Beach Police responded to the scene and went with James to his room to collect his belongings. A Palm Beach police spokesperson declined to comment Monday morning.
An incident report provided by Palm Beach police shows that officers responded to a disturbance on the property at 9:34 a.m. Monday. Little information is provided about the context of the incident, but the report does note that officers drove James to the Starbucks on Worth Avenue after he left The Breakers.
In a statement emailed to the Daily News, the hotel said: "The Breakers does not permit guests to engage in conduct in public spaces that disrupts the experience of others. In this case, a guest was filming on a tripod in a public space and speaking loudly, disturbing other guests.
"The Breakers’ security politely requested the guest identify himself, lower his volume, and refrain from use of the tripod. The guest refused to comply. As a result, the guest was asked to leave. Acceptable standards of conduct apply equally to everyone, and we unequivocally deny any allegation of discrimination."
The Palm Beach Daily News spoke to James Tuesday morning ahead of his time reading to children for Literacy Day at the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach. James was invited to participate in the 16th annual event by the Barbara Bush Foundation, which booked him at The Breakers for a three-night stay for which he arrived Sunday.
"I understand, I wasn't allowed to use a tripod, that's fine," he said Tuesday, adding, "But then he said I was making a disturbance at the pool deck. That's what the call was. But this is the problem: When I realized you come straight to me instead of to the pool, it was never about the pool."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Guy learning to read on TikTok thrown out of Breakers Palm Beach hotel
