Eric Andre Claims He Was Racially Profiled by Police at Atlanta Airport
Eric Andre ATL Cops Racially Profiled Me ... I'm Not Transporting Meth!!!
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6:03 AM PT -- 4/22 -- The Clayton County PD claims it was their officers who interacted with Andre, calling it a "consensual encounter." The cops claim Eric volunteered his travel plans and also offered officers the chance to search his luggage, but they did not.
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Eric was quick to respond to Clayton County PD's statement, saying, "I did NOT volunteer to a search and I did not volunteer to talk. You guys flashed your badge and detained me with no probable cause except for racism. This is JIM CROW RACISM."
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5:55 PM PT -- Eric's still stewing about the alleged incident now that he's off the plane ... he says law enforcement asked if he was transporting meth.
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Andre just landed at LAX and told photogs it's the third time he's been racially profiled in airports ... claiming every incident was over drugs.
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In the wake of APD's denial, Eric thinks it could have been DEA agents who allegedly stopped him and tried to search his bag.
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Eric says he was clearly profiled and says there was NO meth in his bag ... and he's even got "Breaking Bad" jokes.
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Eric's looking for an apology from law enforcement ... or at least a reprimand.
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1:41 PM PT -- The Atlanta Police Department tells TMZ ... their officers were NOT involved in the interaction with Eric. APD says multiple law enforcement agencies operate at the airport, and it appears the incident involved another agency.
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We're also told APD's Airport Drug Interdiction Unit does not randomly approach travelers and ask to search them.
Eric Andre says he was the victim of racial profiling during an interaction with police inside the Atlanta airport ... and now he's asking Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for help.
The comedian claims he was singled out by two plainclothes officers Wednesday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, saying the cops stopped him on the jet bridge for a random drug search as he was trying to board his flight.
Eric says he did not consent to the search and claims he was the only person of color in line to board the flight. He believes it was a classic case of racial profiling and what he calls the racist war on drugs.
EA's warning other travelers passing through ATL to "be careful" and he's asking folks in the airport to track down the officers' names. He also says he's already talking to his lawyer.
Eric, who says he was in Atlanta for work, was able to make his flight ... but he's telling Mayor Bottoms, "I know this isn't the PD you want representing in your airports."
Originally Published -- 1:26 PM PT
