Now… racism, discrimination, and profiling are still all very real situations that we’ve all experienced at some point unfortunately. However, I don’t think I’ve ever assumed I was being carded because of my race. That one may be a bit of a reach.
Tyrese recently had an unfortunate and nasty interaction at a Home Depot that now resulted in a million-dollar lawsuit. Moreover, the actor and signer claimed that various company employees showed him and his associates “outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling first-hand.” These partners are Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez, Furthermore, the Fast and Furious star claimed that they tried to check out at a store with his credit card while he waited in the car. The suit reads: “The cashier gave no reasonable explanation other than repeating ‘store policy’ and demanded to see a form of identification. It was only after significant heated discussion with the cashier that Gibson was finally able to complete the transaction.”
Not only that, but Tyrese even uploaded various videos of this to his Instagram page. One was back in February and shows him arguing with the cashier on FaceTime. Another video emerged on Friday (August 11) and depicts the in-person confrontation with several workers. Amid his other legal battles, there are actually conflicting reports when it comes to this case. Tyrese himself claimed that the lawsuit is for a staggering $450 million, whereas every other outlet’s report, such as Entertainment Weekly, indicates that it’s for $1 million.
In addition, the 44-year-old also seeks damages, attorney’s fees, and a judgement that shows the company violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act of California. After this news broke, Home Depot issued a statement to Entertainment Weekly defending “diversity and respect for all people” as one of its principal ethical codes. “We do not tolerate discrimination in any form,” the statement read. “We value Mr. Gibson as a customer. In the months since this happened, we’ve reached out to him and his attorneys several times to try to resolve his concerns. We will continue to do so.”
Meanwhile, this is occurring as the Los Angeles entertainer fights an ugly divorce process. Given all the case’s moving parts, it’s unclear whether Home Depot will be able to settle this in court. What do you guys think? Does Tyrese have a valid claim here or is he reaching?
