According to Andre, an American comedian and actor, he was racially profiled by sniffer dogs at Melbourne Airport after being “pulled out of a lineup”. Through Instagram platform, he shared his experiences as well as posted a video on X. Once he arrived in Brisbane and Melbourne from Los Angeles and New York respectively. He expressed worries for African American, Hispanic Latin Americans and indigenous people who navigate through the airport.
“I was pulled out of a line up and put in special line in Melbourne where i had to get sniffed down by a dog,” Andre wrote. He also added that this wasn’t the only case “It’s one of the many times I have been racially profiled at the airport.” He advised dark skinned individuals to exercise caution if they are going through Terminal 2 via Qantas International section when travelling via Melbourne Airport.
9news reports that Andre will be consulting with a discrimination lawyer about what happened. While seeking information about racial composition among passengers being subjected to additional security checks. Further on, he said he does not want to go alone through the Melbourne Airport again for safety purposes.
“At these airports I don’t want anymore humiliations or racial discrimination targeted on me,” he said. This too “I don’t want to have my locks cut off and wear three piece suits so that I can be treated like a first class citizen.” Why should I be made to know that greeting you into my country is like entering where I am unwanted? This cockamamie procedure is practiced by some folks over in the Melbourne Airport; may God preserve those there. It mustn’t make any safer world in Australia or Melbourne anyway.”
The 9news got no immediate response from anybody within Melbourne Airport concerning their request for comment. Nonetheless, their spokesperson addressed Andre’s Instagram post stating that these claims are being investigated by relevant authorities.
“The Australian Border Force (ABF) together with Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry (DAFF), which processes all international arrivals at Melbourne Airport. And other Australian international gateways are looking into your complaint,” said the person responding to the post. Melbourne Airport is proudly referred as the gateway to one of the most multicultural cities in the world. It is open to everyone else who lands in Melbourne, irrespective of their country of origin.
This is not a fresh claim for Andre. In Atlanta he and another comedian named Clayton English sued an airport for racial profiling in 2022. The two however appealed this decision after losing their case on appeal.
