Actor and comedian Eric André has alleged that he was a victim of racial profiling while passing through Melbourne Airport.
The Emmy-nominated host of The Eric André Show shared in a video on Instagram on Monday that he was traveling for work when airport officials stopped him.
“I got detained,” André, 41, revealed in the video posted to Instagram for his followers. “I got pulled out of a line-up and put in a special line in Melbourne where I was sniffed thoroughly by a dog.”
André had been on a long journey, flying for 25 hours from New York to Los Angeles and then onward to Melbourne and Brisbane.
“It’s one of the many times I’ve been racially profiled at the airport,” André claimed, advising his non-white followers: “So this is a message for all Black, brown and Indigenous people traveling through Melbourne today, especially if you’re traveling Qantas International by Terminal 2, please be careful. They are searching Black, brown and Indigenous people.”
André also expressed his intention to seek legal representation in Australia to address what he sees as discriminatory practices. He is particularly concerned with how often people of color are singled out and directed to the “dog-sniffing line.”
In addition, André requested that anyone arranging future appearances for him in Australia ensures he doesn’t have to navigate Melbourne Airport alone. He asked for an escort to accompany him or for alternative travel arrangements through Brisbane or Sydney.
André further emphasized, “It has nothing to do with safety. It has everything to do with racial harassment.”
Fans quickly rallied in the comments section of André’s post, offering their support and sharing their own experiences.
“This isn’t just Melbourne. It’s all Australian airports,” one commenter alleged. “I’ve watched it happen so many times it’s disturbing.”
In response to André’s accusations, a spokesperson for Melbourne Airport replied in the comments of his video, asserting that the airport “does not tolerate” racism.
“We are following up your complaint with the Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) who are in charge of processing all international arrivals at Melbourne Airport and other Australian international gateways,” the spokesperson stated.
“Melbourne Airport is proudly the gateway to one of the most multicultural cities in the world. We welcome ALL passengers to Melbourne, and we expect everyone to be treated equally.”
