PRESS ROOM: NAACP Calls for Investigation into Air Marshalls Targeting of Black Passengers
BALTIMORE, MD./August 20, 2018/NNPANewswirePR/ The nation’s leading civil rights organization is calling for an investigation into recently revealed allegations of federal air-marshals targeting African American passengers.
The national office of the NAACP joins the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP Branch in calling for an investigation into these claims.
“The targeting of the African American flyers is sickening and utterly unacceptable,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson. “We are moving forcefully with our partners to issue requests to the Chairman and ranking members of the House Committee on Homeland Security for a complete investigation into these allegations.”
According to a report from Fox 46 in Charlotte, former air marshal whistleblowers alleged they were “told by a supervisor to target “the Black people” when they worked in Orlando, because “they’re the ones who have warrants.”
These whistleblowers also report the use of the “N-word” and say they reported this incident to TSA, but no action was ever taken.
The NAACP recently ended its travel ban on American Airlines after the airlines responded with company-wide training on racism and implicit bias. The NAACP has called for implicit bias testing for individuals and groups receiving public funding.
ABOUT THE NAACP
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our six “Game Changer” issue areas here.
CONTACT
Malik Russell
mrussell@naacpnet.org
