8 Celebrities Who Say They Had been Racially Profiled By Police

So many stars have shared that they’ve confronted racial profiling by the hands of the authorities — whether or not that meant getting unjustly getting pulled over or being accused of against the law. These celebs have all shared their tales within the hopes of spreading consciousness of the racial profiling that also happens every day.

Discover out what occurred to those stars…

Rami Malek not too long ago opened up about an expertise wherein he mentioned he ended up getting “thrown” in opposition to the hood of a cop automobile by cops in Los Angeles. On the time, authorities have been searching for a Latin man who had stolen a lady’s purse and pulled Rami apart as a result of he “match the outline,” despite the fact that he’s really Egyptian.

“I bear in mind how scorching that engine was, they will need to have been racing over there and it was virtually burning my fingers. My pal, who was Caucasian, was intelligent sufficient to go, ‘Truly, sir, he’s Egyptian. Not Latin.’ I bear in mind laughing on the cop automobile, pondering, ‘OK, this can be a very precarious scenario. I might be going to jail for one thing I’ve not performed,’” Rami instructed The Guardian.

Eric André says he was as soon as “racially profiled” by authorities whereas touring by way of Australia. He defined that he was on the Melbourne airport on his approach to a shoot when he was “detained” and “pulled out of a lineup and put in a particular line.” He was then completely sniffed by a police canine.

“It is one of many many instances I’ve been racially profiled on the airport. So this can be a message for all Black, brown and Indigenous folks touring by way of Melbourne at this time, particularly if you happen to’re touring by way of Qantas Worldwide by Terminal 2: Please watch out,” Eric mentioned in an Instagram video.

He continued, “They’re looking Black, brown and Indigenous folks. Please let me know if anyone is aware of the names of these officers with the canine or what that program is. If anyone has info on a discrimination Australian lawyer, I am all ears.”

The Melbourne airport later apologized, sharing that it “doesn’t tolerate racism in any kind.”

Lenny Kravitz’s expertise with racial profiling really impressed his tune “Financial institution Robber Man.” Lenny says he was out jogging in Miami when a theft occurred at a close-by financial institution. The suspect was a Black man in a t-shirt, which aligned with Lenny’s look.

“I received stopped by about 4 or 5 police vehicles at gunpoint to my face, to my physique, up in opposition to the automobile. It was principally racial profiling. I didn’t get let go till the witness, this previous girl who was on the financial institution who noticed the financial institution robber, got here and mentioned it wasn’t me. I used to be fairly nervous as a result of she was previous and had simply seemed and noticed brown pores and skin and a t-shirt,” Lenny instructed Rolling Stone.

He continued, “Nevertheless it was an fascinating scenario. It wasn’t the primary time I’ve had weapons pointed at my head by the police. That occurred three or 4 instances in my life as a young person in Los Angeles for simply using round in a automobile in Beverly Hills. So I went proper into the studio and recorded this. I used to be f–king pissed off. That’s why it’s an aggressive tune.”

Again in 2012, Tyler Perry accused the Atlanta police of racially profiling him after they pulled him over for making an unlawful left flip from a proper lane. Tyler says he made the flip as a “security precaution,” taught to him by his safety workforce, as a result of he was involved somebody could also be following him. He mentioned two caucasian cops pulled him over after which harassed him, banging on his home windows and making an attempt to take away his key from the automobile.

“The officer on the driving force’s aspect continued to badger me, ‘Why do you assume somebody is following you?’ I then mentioned, ‘I believe you guys want to simply write the ticket and do no matter you should do.’  It was so hostile. I used to be so confused. It was taking place so quick that I might simply see how this case might get out of hand in a short time. I didn’t really feel protected in any respect,” Tyler wrote on Fb.

It wasn’t till a 3rd officer arrived, who was Black and acknowledged Tyler, that the scenario was capable of be deescalated.

Tyler added, “Now I do know that there are lots of nice officers, patrolmen and safety guys on the market. I’m conscious of that. However though we have now made important strides with racial profiling on this nation, the world must know that we’re nonetheless being racially profiled.”

In 2009, rapper Nas was pulled over on suspicion of DUI after allegedly being caught driving erratically. Authorities carried out a number of sobriety checks that he failed, per TMZ. Whereas he did admit to smoking weed earlier than getting behind the wheel, he was finally cleared — however claimed it had all been a case of racial profiling.

“You understand what it’s … profiling man … however you, they cannot cease a very good man from shining, man,” he instructed TMZ.

J. Cole has typically spoken out about injustices confronted by the Black group and mentioned that like many others, he’s been the sufferer of racial profiling on many events. In 2013, he says he was pulled over for having tinted home windows — however he believes it extra needed to do together with his look.

“I used to be driving by way of Instances Sq. and I simply didn’t wish to be seen. So I had my hat low and I believe I used to be trying ‘suspicious’ simply as a Black man with my brim low, after I was actually simply making an attempt to cowl my face. They got here to my window, pulled me over. I really feel like if I used to be a white man driving, they wouldn’t query me about my tints. They instructed me to roll down my again window; they appear in my automobile as in the event that they’re searching for one thing. I really feel like that was the true factor, they have been making an attempt to catch any individual slipping,” he instructed BET.

Former tennis star James Blake was as soon as caught up in a case of mistaken id by police that he believes was racially motivated. Whereas standing exterior of his lodge in New York, ready for a automobile to take him to the U.S. Open, when he “seemed up and noticed somebody in shorts and a T-shirt charging at him.” He was tackled to the bottom by a plainclothes cop and after he “threw him down,” James was handcuffed.

“It was positively scary and positively loopy. In my thoughts there’s most likely a race issue concerned, however it doesn’t matter what there’s no cause for anyone to do this to anyone,” James instructed the New York Every day Information.

He continued, “You’d assume they might say, ‘Hey, we wish to discuss to you. We’re trying into one thing.’ I used to be simply standing there. I wasn’t working. It’s not even shut [to being okay]. It is blatantly pointless.’”

The NYPD later issued an apology.

In 2022, rapper Kodak Black was pulled over on suspicion of his window tint being too darkish — however finally searched his total automobile after allegedly catching a whiff of marijuana. Police found 31 Oxycodone tablets and almost $75,000 in money. He was then taken into custody and charged with possessing a managed substance and not using a prescription and trafficking oxycodone.

In the meantime, Kodak Black says the treatment belonged to him and was prescribed after he was shot. Ultimately, he was positioned on home arrest for violating his supervised launch, which allegedly acknowledged he needed to “keep away from drug use and obey all legal guidelines.”

“This S–t bogus Af I really feel like This a personality assassination problem Kuz theirs [sp] no manner I ought to be getting harassed bout my tag being expired, that’s no cause to even search my automobile within the first place and going to jail about having my treatment within the automobile is insane,” Kodak wrote in now-deleted posts on social media.

He continued, “I’m being racially profiled and as a black man in America I deserve my freedom particularly with all the things I do for my group I ought to be getting love , respect and assist from the authorities ! To maneuver freely , not getting arrested for expired tag and darkish home windows.”