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In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for the airline says they “completely reject the suggestion this had anything to do with race.”
Will.i.am claimed that police were called because he was wearing a pair of noise-canceling headphones on the flight and “couldn’t hear the P.A.,” but denied that the alleged incident occurred during thesafety warningat the beginning of the flight.
He went on to claim that after the flight attendant asked him to heput his laptop awayhe “quickly & politely” acquiesced.
“I don’t regret my actions of taking to public to speak for the other for those who don’t have the voice who felt the same disrespect… I am saddened that People chose to spread hate and attack… there were other people on the flight were disrespected,” hewrote.
“Twitter is the people’s tool…rich and poor…a tool to use when things go wrong…it allows people can FEEL directly from the people that have FEELINGS,” headded. “Today I FELT discrimination…and I spoke for all the other people who are voiceless.”
Making one last post of the night, he shared afan videofrom the Black Eyes Peas performance, which took place Saturday evening local time. “@iamwill you certainly delivered tonight in Sydney… we’re all humans, Regardless of our race,” the post read.“Upon landing in Sydney the police had a chat with will.i.am at top of the jet bridge-they declined to pursue it further,” a rep for the musician tells PEOPLE. “He and the band will be flying on another airline as they wrap up their tour of Australia and New Zealand.”
Qantas has denied that the incident was racially motivated.
“We completely reject the suggestion this had anything to do with race,” the spokesperson adds. “We’ll be following up with will.i.am and wish him well for the rest of the tour.”
source: people.com
