- Fast & Furious Actor Tyrese Gibson Sues The Home Depot for Racial Profiling
- Alleged Discriminatory Incident Detailed in Lawsuit
- Home Depot Responds, Stating Commitment to Diversity and Respect
Alongside Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, and Dwayne Johnson, Tyrese Gibson has portrayed Roman Pearce in seven blockbuster films.
Fast & Furious actor Tyrese Gibson is suing The Home Depot for over $1 million (£790,000) because he was racially profiled in one of its stores.
In February, the 44-year-old actor claimed he and two associates were subjected to “outrageous discriminatory mistreatment.”
Alongside Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, and Dwayne Johnson, Gibson has portrayed Roman Pearce in seven blockbuster films.
Wednesday’s lawsuit filed in Los Angeles described the alleged incident that occurred at the Home Depot location in West Hills, Los Angeles County.
The lawsuit alleged that the cashier was “extremely sluggish when scanning items, and the process took twenty minutes.”
Allegedly, they refused to accept Gibson’s credit card to conclude the transaction.
Gibson was denied access to the manager, and only after a “heated discussion” was he able to conclude his purchase.
Gibson, one of the most recognizable black actors and musicians in the United States, and his associates, craftsmen Mora and Hernandez, encountered outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling in The Home Depot retail store.
“While plaintiffs attempted to make an in-store purchase, store clerks intentionally interfered and refused to complete the transaction based on their unfounded suspicion of Gibson, Mora, and Hernandez based on the color of their skin.”
It continued, “Gibson is a longtime patron of The Home Depot, and he has purchased no less than $1,000,000 (£790,000) worth of materials from the company over the years.
“The actions of the cashier and manager were racially and ethnically discriminatory. There is no other plausible explanation for the Plaintiffs’ maltreatment.
“Despite Gibson’s repeated authorizations, the transaction was denied due to the plaintiffs’ complexion color and, in the case of Mora and Hernandez, their national origin.
“This is an egregious example of discriminatory mistreatment and consumer ethnic profiling.
The Home Depot’s treatment of Gibson, Mora, and Hernandez was humiliating and demeaning.
The Home Depot stated in a statement, “Diversity and respect for all people are fundamental to who we are, and we do not tolerate any form of discrimination.”
“We value Mr. Gibson as a customer, and in the months since this incident, we’ve repeatedly reached out to him and his solicitors to address his concerns. We will persevere in this manner.”
