A retired 63-year-old Black cop is suing American Airlines for racial discrimination, alleging he was wrongfully accused of trafficking his 34-year-old wife during their honeymoon flight.
Anthony Williams claims he was racially profiled while traveling from Arizona to Florida with his new wife, Katsiaryna Shasholka, who is Russian.
The couple had taken beautiful photos after boarding their flight but were detained by police as they landed in Florida, as per a Daily Mail report.
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According to the lawsuit, a fellow passenger suspected Shasholka was being trafficked and alerted the flight crew, who reached out to the police without questioning the couple.
Williams alleges that American Airlines staff escorted the couple off the plane in full view of other passengers, and it left him and his wife confused as to what was happening to them.
“They were made to wait confused and embarrassed as the other passengers deplaned and walked by them,” the lawsuit states. The couple was then questioned by officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department, who detained them briefly before releasing them.
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“There was nothing in our interactions the entire flight that would be indicative of somebody who was being held against their will,” Williams told The Independent.
“We were just two people having a good time.” The Black cop and his wife are now seeking more than $75,000 in damages. Williams’ attorney is Jasmine Rand, who previously represented the families of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin, and described the incident as a “heinous” example of racial profiling.
“My client is a retired police officer,” Rand said. “He spent his life fighting crime, and now to be accused of a crime so heinous as trafficking his own wife is unfathomable. He is committed to fighting for justice for himself and for others that have suffered racial discrimination at the hands of American Airlines.”
The lawsuit also claims there is a broader pattern of racial profiling, and referenced incidents from the past involving American Airlines.
Back in September 2023, musician David Ryan Harris, John Mayer’s former guitarist, was accused of trafficking his own children and detained when they landed in Los Angeles.
In another case, three Black men who were strangers to one another were removed from a flight after a passenger complained about “offensive body odor” in another case. The men later filed a lawsuit and settled confidentially.
Williams’ case adds up to growing criticism of American Airlines and raises questions about racial profiling and what passengers of color often go through on a flight.
The airline is however yet to comment on the lawsuit, but many are keeping close tabs on this case, aiming to see how it all unfolds for the black cop in the end.
