NEW YORK - The Toys “R” Us toy store chain singles out black customers in a pattern of race-based stops, searches and wrongful detentions, according to a multimillion-dollar discrimination lawsuit filed Wednesday.

The lawsuit, on behalf of people who believe they were unlawfully or unreasonably detained or searched because of the color of their skin, was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan and seeks class action status.

It says policies put in place by Toys “R” Us had subjected blacks to unjustified and unwarranted scrutiny, causing a disproportionate number of black customers to be assaulted, battered, surveilled, stopped, seized and searched without just cause. It seeks $400 million in damages and a court order to end discrimination.

Toys “R” Us called the allegations “entirely ridiculous.”

“Toys 'R' Us respects all of the families who shop with us, and we do not tolerate discrimination of any kind,” it said in a statement. “We look forward to demonstrating that these allegations are nonsense.”

The lawsuit says black customers are subjected to compulsory inspection of their sales receipts after they buy merchandise and try to leave the stores while white shoppers are not subjected to the same “heightened and biased” scrutiny.