Singer-actor Tyrese Gibson is accusing The Home Depot of discrimination and racial profiling after an incident in February that occurred at one of the brand's California stores.
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On Aug. 9, the "Fast & Furious" franchise star and two other plaintiffs — Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez, craftsmen who've provided construction services to the singer-actor — filed a lawsuit claiming "outrageous discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling" at a Home Depot in West Hills, California, on Feb. 11, 2023.
NBC News reported that in the complaint, Tyrese says he, Eric and Manuel went to The Home Depot together to buy some materials for a project they were doing at his home. A cashier allegedly took 20 minutes to ring up the items. Meanwhile, other shoppers began recognizing and approaching the actor, prompting him to wait in his vehicle to prevent a disturbance. Before he went outside, Tyrese told the cashier that the craftsmen with him would complete the sale on his behalf. The suit claims Eric and Manuel were not allowed to do so, which led Tyrese to come back inside to show ID so they could finish the transaction. He asked to speak to a manager, who allegedly refused.
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"The actions of the cashier and manager were discriminatory based on race and origin," the complaint states. "There is no other plausible explanation for the mistreatment of Plaintiffs. The transaction was refused, despite Gibson's repeated authorizations, because of Plaintiffs' skin color and, in the case of Mora and Hernandez, also because of their national origin."
The suit calls the "humiliating and demeaning" interaction "a clear and deplorable instance of discriminatory mistreatment and consumer racial profiling" and further alleges that The Home Depot has "doubled down, lawyered-up" instead of holding itself accountable for what transpired. In short, The Home Depot "invited this civil rights lawsuit," the complaint further alleges. "This is the absolute height of hypocrisy for a company that disingenuously promotes itself to the world as 'an environment of mutual respect that is free of harassment and discrimination.'"
According to court documents, the three plaintiffs are seeking more than $1 million in damages, which Entertainment Weekly reported is how much Tyrese estimates he's spent at The Home Depot over the years, plus statutory damages, attorney's fees, punitive damages, a declaratory judgment confirming that The Home Depot's actions violated California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest and also "such other relief as the Court may deem just and proper."
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The actor's team released a statement on his Instagram page on Aug. 11 alongside a video of Tyrese speaking to The Home Depot staff inquiring about their policies. According to the social media post, they're seeking a total of $450 million in damages.
"Craftsmen Eric Mora and Manuel Hernandez are an integral part of my team and have made significant contributions to my visions for over a decade. Together, we ardently uphold our commitments to civil rights, promoting empathy, and understanding," the statement began. It continued, "The Home Depot, we envision a world free from discriminatory practices and consumer racial profiling. Just as I have done for the past 20-plus years, I pledge to continue to utilize my platform to empower the voiceless, fostering a spirit of unity and hope, while illuminating our shared path forward."
The Home Depot claims they've tried to address what happened: "Diversity and respect for all people are core to who we are, and we do not tolerate discrimination in any form," a company spokesperson told Today.com in a statement on Aug. 11. "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."
