VANCOUVER AIRPORT BORDER OFFICERS ACCUSED OF RACISM, HOMOPHOBIA
COURT: Man claims he and transgender friend were discriminated against at Vancouver airport
An Atlanta man claims the actions of border services officers in denying him entry to Canada were racist, discriminatory and homophobic.
Anthony Lawrence Gregory Jr., an African-American man who works as a personal chef, says he travelled to Vancouver for a vacation along with an American friend named Jolee Alexander.
When they arrived at Vancouver airport on Sept. 28, Gregory was initially granted entry without any further screening but came under investigation when Alexander was flagged for secondary screening.
In a lawsuit filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Gregory says his belongings and those of Alexander were searched and he was questioned about why he had condoms.
Gregory, who is HIV-positive, said he had the condoms in order to provide protection during sex.
He and Alexander were asked if they were carrying drugs and Alexander explained that she was transgender and carrying estrogen pills. Gregory handed a border services officer who is identified only as John A. Doe a bottle of prescription medication for his HIV treatment.
From that point, Gregory alleges, Canada Border Services Agency officials continued to search their belongings and sought a reason to exclude them from Canada.
“The border services officers’ actions were contrary to the purposes of the Canada Border Services Agency Act, Customs Act and Immigration and Refugee Protection Act as the reasons for their actions were racist, discriminatory against people who are HIV-positive, homophobic and transphobic,” Gregory’s lawsuit states.
A second officer, identified only as Jane A. Doe, told Gregory she had proof he was seeking to enter Canada for sex work, an allegation Gregory denies.
John A. Doe allegedly disclosed the contents of Gregory’s cellphone to Alexander when he asked if Alexander knew that Gregory was in Vancouver to “f---” Travis.
Gregory explained that Travis was one friend he was visiting during his vacation in Vancouver and did not deny that he intended to have sex with him, says the lawsuit.
“Ms. Alexander expressed that she did not care about, or have any objection to, the plaintiff’s intended sexual activities,” it adds.
A border services officer identified only as John B. Doe showed Gregory a webpage offering a “meet and greet for a fun time.” The page bore Gregory’s phone number and a picture of an African-American man.
Gregory was then asked to sign documents saying he was inadmissible to Canada because he did not have a valid work permit, says the suit.
“The plaintiff refused to sign and again denied that he was seeking entry to Canada in order to work. The webpage was not the plaintiff’s. The webpage contained the plaintiff’s phone number but the man depicted in the webpage was not the plaintiff.”
John B. Doe stated: “‘That’s a black guy, you’re a black guy, it looks like you to me,’ ” the suit states.
“The plaintiff noted that the man in the picture had no tattoos whereas the plaintiff does have tattoos under his shirt. The plaintiff offered to show John B. Doe his tattoos. John B. Doe refused to look at them.”
After Gregory refused to sign the documents, he and Alexander were given their luggage and placed on a return flight to Atlanta.
Gregory is seeking a declaration that his rights were infringed and is suing for general, special, aggravated and punitive damages.
No response to the lawsuit, which contains unproven allegations, has yet been filed.
CBSA spokeswoman Kathy Liu said it would be inappropriate to comment at this time as the matter is before the courts.