*Tyrese Gibson is taking legal action against a Los Angeles-area Home Depot for alleged civil rights violations.
According to FOX 11, the “Fast & Furious” star claims he and his two associates were racially profiled when they visited a West Hills store in February. In a complaint filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the three men claim they were subjected to “outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling.”
Gibson and his workers went to the Victory Boulevard store to buy construction materials. Rather than risk causing a distraction due to his fame, Gibson gave his credit card to his construction workers to use to pay for the items while the actor went to his car.
He returned to the store after the cashier refused to complete the transaction, according to the lawsuit.
The cashier “gave no reasonable explanation other than repeating store policy and demanded to see a form of identification,” according to the suit.
Despite Gibson’s requests, the manager refused to speak with him. The transaction was completed after a “heated discussion” with the cashier, according to the suit.
“There is no other plausible explanation for the mistreatment of plaintiffs,” the suit states.
“The cashier gave no reasonable explanation other than repeating ‘store policy’ and demanded to see a form of identification,” the lawsuit reads. “The manager refused to speak with Gibson in person. It was only after a significant heated discussion with the cashier that Gibson was finally able to complete the transaction.”
A part of the interaction was caught on video and published online — watch the YouTube clip above.
Tyrese is seeking $1 million in damages, the amount he allegedly spent at Home Depot over the years. The trio also wants punitive damages, statutory damages, and attorney’s fees, per Complex.
The complaint alleges that Gibson and his fellow plaintiffs have suffered shame, humiliation, and mental suffering.
Additionally, they are seeking a declaration that Home Depot’s actions violated California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, under which businesses are prohibited from discriminating against customers on the basis of race, sex, or disability.
“Diversity and respect for all people are core to who we are, and we do not tolerate discrimination in any form,” a Home Depot representative told People magazine. “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. We will continue to do so.”
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