Peter Andre, whose parents are Greek Cypriot, has spoken out about being evaluated based on his appearance in response to tweets and video posted by Portuguese runner Ricardo Dos Santos, who said he was stopped by police for the second time in two years.
Peter Andre reported that a stranger in London informed him he resembled a terrorist while he was waiting for a taxi.
The singer and television personality wrote about the experience in his most recent weekly column for OK! magazine in response to tweets and video posted by the Portuguese sprinter Ricardo Dos Santos, who claimed he had been stopped by police twice in two years.
Due to the presence of seven armed officers, Dos Santos shared dashcam footage on Twitter, expressing anger and accusing the police of over-policing. The issue has been forwarded to the police oversight agency.
Andre, whose parents are Greek Cypriot, wrote in his blog that he cannot comment on whether or not Dos Santos was racially profiled, but that “occasionally people get picked on because of the way they appear.”
He described his personal experience in writing: “When I exited a London railway station with a backpack and wearing a hooded sweatshirt, no taxis stopped for me.
“Eventually, a man approached me and said, “Just a word of advice, don’t wear a hood and a rucksack; you look like a terrorist.”
“I couldn’t believe he spoke those words, and I felt extremely hurt. Perhaps it was not because of my race, but because of my appearance.”
Andre, who was born in London but raised in Australia before returning to the United Kingdom, did not specify when the incident took place.
He continued, “You cannot judge a book by its cover and conclude someone is acting improperly based on their appearance.”
The singer is well-known for her 1990s and 2000s hits Mysterious Girl, Flava, and Insania, as well as her appearances on I, ‘m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! In addition, Strictly Come Dancing.
