R&B Vocalist /Actor Tyrese Gibson is suing Home Depot after an alleged racist incident at the hardware store.
The 44-year-old and two other complainants, Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez are seeking more than $1 million in damages from Home Depot, accusing the store of profiling during an unwelcome experience.
According to PEOPLE, the two men are associates of the star who “regularly provide construction services” to the actor. The trio claims a cashier and store manager were biased against them due to their race and ethnicity during a routine run to the West Hills, Calif. store. in February.
The case details how the Baby Boy actor allegedly notified a cashier that Mora and Hernandez were qualified to use his credit card to purchase as he waited in the car due to fans noticing his presence at the Home Depot. The cashier allegedly “refused to complete the purchase transaction” even after the movie star returned inside the store.
As summarized in the legal documents, the men assert the cashier and a store manager who allegedly declined to speak with the Black and Blue actor “purposely interfered with and refused to process the transaction based on their groundless suspicion of Gibson, Mora and Hernandez arising from their skin colour, and in the case of Mora and Hernandez, their national origin.”
The amount sought by the complainants is said to reflect the amount Gibson claims to have paid at franchise home improvement stores at various locations over his lifetime, as well as punitive damages and “a declaratory judgment declaring that” Home Depot’s actions violated California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
“Diversity and respect for all people are core to who we are, and we do not tolerate discrimination in any form,” shared Home Depot in an announcement to PEOPLE.
“We value Mr Gibson as a customer, and in the months since this happened, we’ve reached out to him and his attorneys several times to try to resolve his concerns,” the statement continued. “We will continue to do so.”
Video images revealing part of the alleged racial profiling happening can be watched below.
