Pop music icon will.i.am has taken to Twitter to call out the alleged actions of a “racist flight attendant” on a Qantas flight, claiming that he was unfairly targeted.
For much of the last 24 hours, the world of music has been watching a story unfold between Black Eyes Peas founder will.i.am and Qantas airlines.
Taking to Twitter yesterday, will.i.am alleged that he had been unfairly treated by a flight attendant following an incident with some noise cancelling headphones.
“I’m currently on a flight from Brisbane to Sydney,” the 44-year-old shared on Saturday afternoon. “I’m sorry to say me and my group have experienced they worse service due to a overly aggressive flight attendant.
“I don’t want to believe she racist. But she has clearly aimed all her frustrations only at the people of colour.”
However, the drama didn’t end there though, with will.i.am naming the flight attendant, and causing the hashtag #RacistFlightattendant to trend after revealing the police had been called due to his mid-flight actions.
“This is how your greeted when you land from Brisbane to Sydney flying Qantas with a #RacistFlightattendant named Lorraine Marshall,” he wrote, sharing an image of uniformed police officers.
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I’m currently on a flight from Brisbane to Sydney.
I’m sorry to say me and my group have experienced they worse service due to a overly aggressive flight attendant…
I don’t want to believe she racist.
But she has clearly aimed all her frustrations only at the people of colour— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
This is how your greeted when you land from Brisbane to Sydney flying @qantas with a #RacistFlightattendant named Lorraine Marshall…She sent the police after me bacause I couldn’t hear the P.A while making beats on the plane wearing noise canceling headphones… pic.twitter.com/9xT7WqTUoO
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
.@Qantas Your #RacistFlightattendant was beyond rude & took it to the next level by calling the police on me. thank god the other passengers testified that SHE was out of Control 🙏🏿 the police finally let me go. imagine if the police were as aggressive as Lorraine Marshall 😵
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
I’m sorry? Is callin the police on a passenger for not hearing he P.A due to wearing noise canceling headphones appropriate? If didn’t put away my laptop “in a rapid 2min time” I’d understand. I did comply quickly & politely, only to be greeted by police. I think I was targeted https://t.co/8WVIuMKXJa
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
No one said she was a white supremest… I said she singled every person of colourbin the flight and gave them a hard time…and went to the extreme of calling the police on me when I did nothing wrong…other passengers on the flight agreed that she was out of hand… https://t.co/fyh6DUb9F8
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
I was intimidated by 5 police officers when I landed…for what? 🤷🏿♂️ I put away my laptop when she asked…why would she feel threatened by me to call the police? What did I do wrong? I wasn’t out of hand.. I was polite & did what she asked… now you’re asking me to take abuse? https://t.co/1390ThymY3
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
As the story unfolded, will.i.am revealed that he had been composing music on his laptop, meaning he was unable to hear an announcement made over the P.A.
While specifics are unclear, it appears as though the attendant in question spoke to the artist, at which point things began to get out of hand. Noting that he complied wth requests to put his laptop away prior to landing, the attendant allegedly called the police on him around this time.
“[She] was beyond rude & took it to the next level by calling the police on me,” will.i.am explained. “Thank god the other passengers testified that SHE was out of Control.
“The police finally let me go. imagine if the police were as aggressive as Lorraine Marshall.”
Responding to other users on Twitter, will.i.am was quick to call for fans abusing the attendant with online messages to stop, while also defending his decision to air his grievances on a public platform.
“I put away my laptop when she asked…why would she feel threatened by me to call the police?” he asked. “What did I do wrong? I wasn’t out of hand.. I was polite & did what she asked.”
While also explaining that the attendant allegedly “singled every person of colourbin [sic] the flight and gave them a hard time”, another person who was reportedly on the flight corroborated will.i.am’s claims, explaining that they were “hiding in the toilet shivering, shaking and shuddering uncontrollably while this horrendous racist attack was unfolding.”
“I am posting so that this doesn’t happen again,” the artist concluded. “It shouldn’t happen to a Aboriginal, Latino, African, LGBTQ White, Red or anyone… everyone deserves to be treated with respect.”
I am posting so that this doesn’t happen again…it shouldn’t happen to a Aboriginal, Latino, African, LGBTQ White, Red or anyone… everyone deserves to be treated with respect… https://t.co/rcND4e1JUx
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
https://twitter.com/trentster/status/1195569645601771520
https://twitter.com/TheVeronicas/status/1195838192408117248
While Qantas are yet to respond to will.i.am’s claims, the artist did find himself with a high-profile pair of supporters, with The Veronicas coming forward to claim that not only do they believe his story, but stating that the attendant in question was also involved in their highly-publicised run in with the airline.
“We support will.i.am,” the sisters wrote this morning. “Sadly this female flight attendant was 1 of the 2 attendants involved in our incident with Qantas.
“We feel sickened she was given no reprisal & has instead continued to abuse her position, discriminate, and misuse the full force and intimidation of the Australian Federal Police to her agenda. In this case to menace will.i.am & other POC on this flight.
“Both our incident and the recent not taken further by the AFP, stating it is a Qantas issue not a Police matter.
“After the first incident, Qantas should have run a genuine investigation into the matter, instead of shifting blame and denying accountability,” they concluded. “This should never have been allowed to happen.
“A privately owned corporation allowed to abuse public resources for personal discrimination. Alan Joyce you need to do better.”
At this stage, Qantas’ response to the incident is unknown, with no official statement being made at the current time.