Woyem News 
Fast & Furious actor Tyrese Gibson has filed a $1 million (£788m) lawsuit against Home Depot, accusing the retailer of “discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling.” The complaint was filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court on 9 August and stems from an incident that allegedly occurred on 11 February at a Home Depot store in Los Angeles. Gibson, along with his associates Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez, claim to have experienced “outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling first-hand.”
In addition to seeking $1 million in damages, which is the estimated amount Gibson has spent at Home Depot over the years, the lawsuit also requests statutory damages, attorney’s fees, punitive damages, a declaration that Home Depot’s actions violated California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, and any other relief deemed necessary by the court.
In response to the lawsuit, a Home Depot spokesperson stated that diversity and respect for all people are core values of the company and that they do not tolerate discrimination in any form. The spokesperson added that they value Gibson as a customer and have reached out to him and his attorneys multiple times to address his concerns.
According to the legal documents, Gibson had decided to wait in his car while Mora and Hernandez completed his transaction at the store due to fans gathering around him. Gibson informed the cashier of his plan and allowed his associates to use his credit card. The cashier acknowledged Gibson and told him he could leave. However, the cashier allegedly continued to deny the transaction despite Gibson’s attempts to provide consent over FaceTime and in person.
The complaint states that the cashier gave no reasonable explanation for denying the transaction and demanded to see identification. The manager refused to speak with Gibson in person, and the transaction was only completed after a heated discussion with the cashier. The lawsuit argues that the mistreatment was based on race and origin and that there is no other plausible explanation for the behavior.
Gibson shared a video of the interaction on his Instagram account, and his representatives have been contacted for further comment.
Overall, Gibson’s lawsuit against Home Depot alleges discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling, seeking damages and other forms of relief in response to the incident. Home Depot has stated their commitment to diversity and respect for all customers and has attempted to resolve Gibson’s concerns. The lawsuit will now proceed through the legal process.
