Editor’s Note: This story was updated with a statement from AMC.

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — A North Carolina minister was escorted from a movie theater after a reported seating dispute.

On Tuesday, Bishop William J. Barber II — the minister of Greenleaf Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Goldsboro, a social activist, and the former chair of the North Carolina NAACP — visited the AMC Fire Tower 12 theater in Greenville with his 90-year-old mother to see “The Color Purple.”

Barber explained to Nexstar’s WNCT that he isn’t able to sit in chairs that require him to be close to the floor due to a bad hip.

“I have a disability myself. I have serious Ankylosing,” Barber said Tuesday. Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis that can cause some spinal bones to fuse over time, according to the Mayo Clinic.

In addition to using two canes to walk, Barber carries a chair with him that’s easier for him to use. He told WNCT he had never been anywhere that did not allow him to use his own chair.

“So whether I’m on Broadway, the White House, the State House, United States Congress, they always let me bring this chair. Never been a problem. In fact, other movie theaters, never been a problem,” said Barber.

That changed on Tuesday, when management at the movie theater told Barber he would not be allowed to use his chair in the marked handicapped section of the theater.

Management then had two Greenville police officers come to the location, and Barber was escorted from the building. Police said in a statement that they received a call regarding a customer who “was arguing with employees, and they wished to have them removed from the business.”

“Two supervisors were dispatched to the call. When the first supervisor arrived, he spoke with the caller and at the request of the business, made contact with the customer, Bishop William J. Barber II,” police said. “After a brief conversation, Bishop Barber agreed to leave the theater voluntarily. When the second supervisor arrived, Bishop Barber was outside. The call for service was resolved without incident. No charges were filed.”

Raw interview: Rev. William Barber II talks about the incident at Greenville movie theater (Shannon Baker, WNCT video)

According to Barber, there were no signs or rules posted by the theater that suggested he would be prohibited from using his chair.

In a statement to WNCT, an AMC spokesperson said, “We sincerely apologize to Bishop Barber for how he was treated, and for the frustration and inconvenience brought to him, his family, and his guests. AMC’s Chairman and CEO Adam Aron has already telephoned him, and plans to meet with him in person in Greenville, NC, next week to discuss both this situation and the good works Bishop Barber is engaged in throughout the years.”

The spokesperson continued, writing, “AMC welcomes guests with disabilities. We have a number of accommodations in place at our theatres at all times, and our theatre teams work hard to accommodate guests who have needs that fall outside of the normal course of business. We encourage guests who require special seating to speak with a manager in advance to see what can best be accommodated at the theater to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for the guest and those around them. We are also reviewing our policies with our theater teams to help ensure that situations like this do not occur again.”