comedian Eric Andre says he was the victim of racial discrimination at Melbourne Airport in Australia.
On Sunday (August 18), André shared a video on Instagram in which he revealed that he was “detained” at the airport as he was finishing a 25-hour trip with stops in Los Angeles, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia.
André said he was “pulled out of a lineup and placed in a special row” where he was “thoroughly sniffed by a dog.”
“These dogs are pretty ineffective,” he said, adding: “This is one of the many times I have been racially discriminated against at the airport. So this is a message to all black, brown and indigenous people travelling through Melbourne today, particularly if you are travelling through Qantas International at Terminal 2: please be careful.”
“They’re looking for black, brown and aboriginal people,” André continued. “Please let me know if anyone knows the names of these officers with the dogs or what this program is. If anyone has any information on an Australian discrimination lawyer, I’m all ears.”
In Sunday’s video, André asked his followers if they could send him data on how many “people of color they put in that dog sniffer line compared to their white counterparts.”
“If anyone hires me for work in Australia in the future, whether for a production or a tour, please do not send me through Melbourne Airport alone,” said André. “Please provide me with a police escort or some kind of security escort or let me fly directly to Brisbane or Sydney. I do not feel safe at Melbourne Airport. I do not want to be humiliated or racially discriminated against at these airports anymore.”
“I don’t want to cut my hair and wear a three-piece suit to be treated like a first-class citizen,” he continued. “I shouldn’t feel like I’m not accepted when I enter a country. Shame on the people at Melbourne Airport who have to undergo this silly procedure. I doubt it helps anyone in Melbourne or Australia to have a safer world.”
Melbourne Airport responded to Andrés Instagram post by saying it “does not tolerate racism in any form.”
“We are pursuing your complaint with the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), who are responsible for handling all international arrivals at Melbourne Airport and other Australian international gateways,” the response said. “Melbourne Airport is proud to be the gateway to one of the world’s most multicultural cities. We welcome ALL passengers to Melbourne and expect everyone to be treated equally.”
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