"It Has Everything To Do With Racial Harassment": Eric André Detailed An Alleged Incident At An Airport
Eric André alleged that he was racially harassed in an airport in Australia.
In an Instagram video posted on Monday, the comedian alleged that the incident happened when he was traveling by Qantas International at Melbourne airport as part of his journey from Los Angeles to Brisbane.
"I got detained and I got pulled out of a lineup and put in a special line in Melbourne where I was sniffed thoroughly by a dog," he said in the video. "It's one of the many times I've been racially profiled at the airport. So this is a message for all Black, Brown, and Indigenous people traveling through Melbourne today...please be careful. They are searching Black, Brown, and Indigenous people."
Asking for any recommendations for legal counsel in Australia, Eric continued, "Anybody hiring me to work in Australia going forward, whether it's a production or a tour, please don't make me go through the Melbourne Airport alone. Please provide a police escort or some type of security escort for me, or have me fly into Brisbane or Sydney directly. I do not feel safe in the Melbourne Airport. I do not want to be humiliated or racially discriminated against anymore at these airports. I don't want to cut my hair and wear a three-piece suit so that I'm treated like a first-class citizen."
"It's providing a less safe experience for Black, Brown, Indigenous, and immigrant passengers. It has nothing to do with safety. It has everything to do with racial harassment," he emphasized.
An account for the Melbourne airport subsequently commented on the video, "Melbourne Airport does not tolerate racism in any form."
"We are following up your complaint with the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) who are in charge of processing all international arrivals at Melbourne Airport and other Australian international gateways," the account continued. "Melbourne Airport is proudly the gateway to one of the most multicultural cities in the world. We welcome ALL passengers to Melbourne, and we expect everyone to be treated equally."
A spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) told NBC News that everyone who arrives in Australia is “part of biosecurity screening processes for things such as fresh fruit or vegetables, plants and food, or soil on footwear or recreational equipment.”
Part of this can involve being "subject to individual inspections and unpacking of baggage, or by general screening with the assistance of our highly trained dogs." The spokesperson added, "Any traveler coming into Australia will experience some or all of these screening measures."
Eric, along with Clayton English, previously sued an airport in Atlanta, alleging "a program of racial discrimination and unconstitutional jet bridge stops." The lawsuit was dismissed in 2023, but the comedians appealed the decision earlier this year.
