The Veronicas Weigh In On Will.i.am’s Alleged ‘Racist’ Incident On Qanta...
By Olivia Esveld, ARN
November 17, 2019
The Veronicas have weighed in on the alleged racist incident between Will.i.am and Qantas, claiming that the flight attendant involved was the same one that kicked them off a flight in September.
The Black Eyed Peas rapper, whose real name is William Adams, has accused a Qantas flight attendant of being “racist” and “beyond rude” to him during a flight from Brisbane to Sydney.
The rapper was met by police at Sydney Airport on Saturday after he clashed with the flight attendant, who he claims was “overly aggressive” to him because he couldn’t hear her through his noise-cancelling headphones.
“I’m sorry to say me and my group have experienced they (sic) 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,” he tweeted.
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
@Qantas
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
I was making music wearing noise canceling headphones on the plane... I’m sorry i couldn’t hear the P.A...I complied when she’s tapped me on the shoulder to put my laptop away...
It’s sad that your #RacistFlightAttendant sent the police... pic.twitter.com/LmitBhTjfi
This is how your greeted when you land from Brisbane to Sydney flying @qantas with a #RacistFlightattendant named Lorraine Marshall...She sent the police after me bacause I couldn’t hear the P.A while making beats on the plane wearing noise canceling headphones... pic.twitter.com/9xT7WqTUoO
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
.@Qantas Your #RacistFlightattendant was beyond rude & took it to the next level by calling the police on me. thank god the other passengers testified that SHE was out of Control 🙏🏿 the police finally let me go. imagine if the police were as aggressive as Lorraine Marshall 😵
— will.i.am (@iamwill) November 16, 2019
“.@Qantas Your #RacistFlightattendant was beyond rude & took it to the next level by calling the police on me. thank god the other passengers testified that SHE was out of Control the police finally let me go. Imagine if the police were as aggressive as (the flight attendant),” he wrote.
Back in September, Jess and Lisa Origlasso from The Veronicas, filmed footage of an incident that saw them thrown off a Qantas flight from Sydney to Brisbane.
They too were met by AFP officers who escorted them off a plan following a dispute over the positioning of their baggage in the overhead cabin.
They have since released a statement in support of Will.i.am, claiming that the flight attendant involved was one of cabin crew members involved in their own incident.
“We support Will.i.am. Sadly this female flight attendant was one of two attendants involved in our incident with Qantas,” their statement reads according to 7 News.
“We feel sickened she was given no reprisal and has instead continued to abuse her position, discriminate, and misuse the full force and intimidation of the Australian Federal Police to her agenda.
“In this case to menace will.i.am and other POC (persons of colour) on this flight.”
The Veronicas have since deleted their Twitter account where the statement was originally posted.
Qantas has since responded to the allegations, with a spokesman telling 7 News that claims that the same flight attendant was involved in both incidents was untrue.
They have also disputed claims that the altercation with Will.i.am was racially motivated.
“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,” a spokesman said.
“We’ll be following up with will.i.am and wish him well for the rest of the tour.”
With AAP.
This story originally appeared in ARN