Comedians Eric Andre and Clayton English have filed a lawsuit towards a police program at an Atlanta airport over ‘racial profiling and coercive stops’.
Final yr, Andre alleged that he was racially profiled by two officers whereas touring via the Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson Worldwide Airport – with the regulation enforcement officers asking if they might ‘search him for medicine’.
He referred to as out the incident on social media on the time, and is now taking authorized motion over their actions.
Each the Unhealthy Journey actor, 39, and 40-year-old English, have claimed that they have been singled out by officers over the colour of their pores and skin and grilled them over medicine throughout separate incidents.
‘Folks have been gawking at me and I appeared suspicious after I had completed nothing incorrect,’ Andre mentioned, describing his expertise as ‘dehumanizing and demoralizing’.
In line with the authorized paperwork, by way of AP, the aim of this system is to assist Clayton County law enforcement officials battle drug trafficking, however medicine are hardly ever discovered of their searches.
The paperwork state that officers selectively cease passengers, take their identification and interrogate them earlier than they board, incidents that are considered ‘random’ and referred to as ‘consensual encounters’.
Nonetheless, their attorneys have argued that these ‘depend on coercion, and targets are chosen disproportionately based mostly on their race’.
A spokesperson for Clayton County police instructed Metro.co.uk that the division doesn't touch upon pending litigation.
Andre spoke out towards being stopped final April, with the division stating that it was a ‘consensual’ cease.
‘Mr Andre selected to talk with investigators in the course of the preliminary encounter,’ an announcement shared on Fb on the time learn. ‘Throughout the encounter, Mr Andre voluntarily offered the investigators data as to his journey plans.
‘Mr Andre additionally voluntarily consented to a search of his baggage however the investigators selected not to take action.’
Discussing the incident, Andre defined he felt a ‘ethical calling’ to file a lawsuit in order that ‘unethical’ practices can come to an finish, and officers could be held accountable.
‘I've the sources to carry nationwide consideration and worldwide consideration to this incident. It’s not an remoted incident,’ he mentioned. ‘If Black folks don’t converse up for one another, who will?’
English was additionally stopped whereas touring in Atlanta, in October, 2020, and was touring to LA on the time.
An officer approached him on the jet bridge and wished to see his ID and boarding cross, earlier than asking to look his bag – one thing English complied with as he didn’t consider he had a alternative, in accordance with the lawsuit.
‘I felt utterly powerless. I felt violated. I felt cornered,’ he added at a information convention on Tuesday.
‘I felt like I needed to comply if I wished all the pieces to go easily.’
AP stories that the lawsuit has named Clayton County and the police chief, 4 law enforcement officials and a district legal professional’s workplace investigator, alleging that constitutional rights have been violated by their actions.
Andre and English are searching for a jury trial and for this system to be declared unconstitutional, in addition to damages and authorized prices.
Observe on
Post a Comment