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Eric Andre is calling out some law enforcement officials in Atlanta, accusing the officers of racial profiling by requesting he submit to a “random” search for drugs.
In the first of a series of tweets the “Bad Trip” star issued on Wednesday, he shared his experience of being “racially profiled” by two plainclothes officers at the Delta terminal in the Atlanta International Airport.
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“They stopped me on the way down the bridge to the plane for a ‘random’ search and asked [if] they could search me for drugs. I told them no.”
@Atlanta_Police “I was just racially profiled by two plain clothes Atlanta PD police in @Delta terminal T3 at the Atlanta airport. They stopped me on the way down the bridge to the plane for a “random” search and asked they could search me for drugs. I told them no. Be careful.
— Eric Andre (@ericandre) April 21, 2021
He followed up by seeking help from Atlanta’s mayor, Keisha Bottoms.
@KeishaBottoms please help me. Two of your officers stopped me on the jet bridge at terminal three in the Atlanta airport for a “random” drug search. Please someone get me the name of a good Atlanta lawyer. @delta @Atlanta_Police #jimcrow #racialprofiling. .
— Eric Andre (@ericandre) April 21, 2021
According to Andre, he had no doubt in his mind that he was racially profiled, explaining he was the only person of colour in the line.
@KeishaBottoms if anyone is at @delta terminal T3 in Atlanta please get me the officers names. Talking to my lawyer now. Need a good Atlanta lawyer. #racism #racialprofiling #racistwarondrugs #jimcrow
— Eric Andre (@ericandre) April 21, 2021
At that moment, I was the only POC on line. @KeishaBottoms I know this isn’t the PD you want representing in your airports. #racism #racialprofiling #jimcrow #racistwarondrugs @delta
— Eric Andre (@ericandre) April 21, 2021
Ultimately, he explained, the officers released him without a search, and he made it onto his flight.
They let me go. I’m on the plane in the air. I’m fine now but I want this reported. Please any Atlanta lawyer reach out to me. @KeishaBottoms #racialprofiling #jimcrowgeorgia terminal T3 Atlanta airport.
— Eric Andre (@ericandre) April 21, 2021
He then tweeted that he’d heard the officers may not have been with Atlanta PD, but with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Hearing it might be @DEAHQ at gate T3 racially profiling passengers and not the @Atlanta_Police does anyone have answers? @Delta @POTUS @KeishaBottoms
— Eric Andre (@ericandre) April 21, 2021
Mayor Bottoms eventually responded, and apologized for his experience. “It’s my understanding that this was not APD, but another one of the many agencies working in the airport. We are working to confirm,” she wrote.
Sorry to hear about your experience. It’s my understanding that this was not APD, but another one of the many agencies working in the airport. We are working to confirm. https://t.co/PhhCMxDbM2
— Keisha Lance Bottoms (@KeishaBottoms) April 21, 2021
Andre replied by embarking on a tweetstorm about the racism he alleges is inherent within the DEA.
— Eric Andre (@ericandre) April 21, 2021
TMZ later reported that the Atlanta Police Department confirmed those were not its officers that confronted Andre, and backed up the mayor’s contention that he was met by officials from a different agency.
“We’re also told APD’s Airport Drug Interdiction Unit does not randomly approach travellers and ask to search them,” TMZ added.