Comedians Eric André and Clayton English are challenging a police program at the Atlanta airport they say violates the constitutional rights of airline passengers, particularly Black passengers, through racial profiling and coercive searches just as they are about to board their flights.
Lawyers for the two men filed a lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in Atlanta alleging that they were racially profiled and illegally stopped by Clayton County police at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The two men, well known comedians and actors, say officers singled them out during separate stops roughly six months apart because they are Black and grilled them about drugs as other passengers watched.
“People were gawking at me and I looked suspicious when I had done nothing wrong,” André said in an interview, calling the experience “dehumanizing and demoralizing.”
While the stated purpose of the program is to fight drug trafficking, the lawsuit says, drugs are rarely found,...
Lawyers for the two men filed a lawsuit Tuesday in federal court in Atlanta alleging that they were racially profiled and illegally stopped by Clayton County police at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The two men, well known comedians and actors, say officers singled them out during separate stops roughly six months apart because they are Black and grilled them about drugs as other passengers watched.
“People were gawking at me and I looked suspicious when I had done nothing wrong,” André said in an interview, calling the experience “dehumanizing and demoralizing.”
While the stated purpose of the program is to fight drug trafficking, the lawsuit says, drugs are rarely found,...
- 10/12/2022
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Eric André sues police over ‘dehumanising and traumatic’ alleged racial profiling at Atlanta airport
Eric André is launching a lawsuit against Clayton County police over alleged racial profiling at Atlanta airport.
The Eric Andre Show star has filed the lawsuit alongside comedian Clayton English, following separate instances of alleged racial profiling and coercive search.
The alleged incidents took place at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia.
According to The Associated Press, the police’s “jet bridge interdiction programme” sees officers stop, interrogate and potentially search passengers on the areas connecting planes to terminals.
The plaintiffs’ lawyers claim that the programme operates in violation of constitutional rights, with the stops alleged to “rely on coercion”, with targets “selected disproportionately based on their race”.
Named in the federal lawsuit are Clayton County, the chief of police, four officers and a Da’s office investigator.
André and English are seeking a jury trial, as well as compensatory damages, punitive damages, and legal costs, plus an admission that the...
The Eric Andre Show star has filed the lawsuit alongside comedian Clayton English, following separate instances of alleged racial profiling and coercive search.
The alleged incidents took place at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia.
According to The Associated Press, the police’s “jet bridge interdiction programme” sees officers stop, interrogate and potentially search passengers on the areas connecting planes to terminals.
The plaintiffs’ lawyers claim that the programme operates in violation of constitutional rights, with the stops alleged to “rely on coercion”, with targets “selected disproportionately based on their race”.
Named in the federal lawsuit are Clayton County, the chief of police, four officers and a Da’s office investigator.
André and English are seeking a jury trial, as well as compensatory damages, punitive damages, and legal costs, plus an admission that the...
- 10/12/2022
- by Louis Chilton
- The Independent - TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.