Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am took to Twitter on Friday to detail an experience on a Qantas Airways flight that he called racist — and now faces backlash of his own.
I’m currently on a flight from Brisbane to Sydney.
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
I’m sorry to say me and my group have experienced they worse service due to a overly aggressive flight attendant...
I don’t want to believe she racist.
But she has clearly aimed all her frustrations only at the people of colour
Will.i.am said the flight attendant escalated the interaction by calling the police, who met him after the flight landed, even though he said he complied with instructions to put his laptop away.
“I was intimidated by 5 police officers when I landed...for what? I put away my laptop when she asked...why would she feel threatened by me to call the police? What did I do wrong? I wasn’t out of hand.. I was polite & did what she asked... now you’re asking me to take abuse?” will.i.am tweeted.
After initially tweeting that he didn’t “want to believe she racist,” will.i.am sent a series of tweets accusing the flight attendant of being exactly that — and identified her by name, which drew a swift rebuke on Twitter. He also tweeted at the airline with the hashtag “#racistflightattendant.”
Qantas responded to the incident Saturday with a statement to The Post, saying: “There was a misunderstanding on board, which seems to have been exacerbated by will.i.am wearing noise cancelling headphones and not being able to hear instructions from crew.
“We completely reject the suggestion this had anything to do with race.”
Some observers accused will.i.am of abusing his platform of more than 12 million Twitter followers to direct hate at a person simply doing her job.
I will do that...I don’t wish any harm to anyone...I just everyone to be respected and treated with dignity... the last thing I want is for someone to be in harms way... thanks for the advice... and thank you for trying to see it from the side of the passengers that felt targeted https://t.co/nreiQFnKIL
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
In response, the Grammy Award winner claimed that he didn’t intend for anyone to target the flight attendant and said that he was speaking for others by calling out wrongdoing.
I don’t regret my actions of taking to public to speak for the other for those who don’t have the voice who felt the same disrespect... I am saddened that People chose to spread hate and attack... there were other people on the flight were disrespected https://t.co/IUy0hvETso https://t.co/V41bexQHjU
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
“I am posting so that this doesn’t happen again...it shouldn’t happen to a Aboriginal, Latino, African, LGBTQ White, Red or anyone... everyone deserves to be treated with respect...,” will.i.am tweeted.
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