Comedian Eric Andre, who’s currently starring alongside Tiffany Haddish and Lil Rel Howery in the Netflix comedy “Bad Trip,” has accused authorities at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia of racial profiling him.
Andre posted several tweets on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, about the incident to his 700,000-plus followers and even tagged Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Andre claimed officers pulled him aside in a terminal and asked to search him for drugs. He said he was the only person of color in line to board at the time. Andre said he refused a search and was allowed to board his plane.
The Clayton County Police Department denies any wrongdoing, although it did not say why its officers chose to speak to Andre.
“Mr. Andre chose to speak with investigators during the initial encounter,” the department said in a statement released to The Associated Press. “During the encounter, Mr. Andre voluntarily provided the investigators information as to his travel plans. Mr. Andre also voluntarily consented to a search of his luggage but the investigators chose not to do so. Investigators identified that there was no reason to continue a conversation and therefore terminated the encounter.”
The comedian also stated that the officers were with the Atlanta Police Department and then said they were with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, but both police agencies were not involved.
Andre also responded on Twitter to the Clayton County Police Department statement claiming it was “wrong” and full of “misinformation.”
“I did NOT volunteer to a search and I did not volunteer to talk. You guys flashed your badge and detained me with no probable cause except for racism. This is JIM CROW RACISM @ClaytonCountyPD I DID NOT VOLUNTEER TO A SEARCH. YOU ARE HARASSING ME. THIS IS RACISM!,” he posted.
The Atlanta mayor also responded to Andre’s tweet and apologized for his alleged ordeal. “Sorry to hear about your experience,” Bottoms posted in her reply.
