A young British fashion designer who was arrested for trying to board plane while wearing an excessive amount of clothes claims ‘racial profiling’ played a role in his detention.
Ryan Carney Williams, 22, who makes music and designs clothes under the moniker Ryan Hawaii, was blocked from flying home from Iceland after he put on all of the spare clothes that had exceeded BA’s baggage limit.
But after the confrontation led to Mr Williams’ arrest, alleged macing by Icelandic police and being denied flights two days in a row, the Brit blamed racial profiling for his arrest.
Ryan Carney Williams, 22, who makes music and designs clothes under the moniker Ryan Hawaii and was arrested for trying to board plane while wearing an excessive amount of clothes, claims ‘racial profiling’ played a role in his detention
Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Williams said: ‘If I was a young white male or a young white female I would have been treated slightly differently.’
Describing the days events, the designer admitted to refusing to move away from the BA check in desk while putting on eight pairs of pans and ten shirts to avoid excess fees. Annoyed at British Airways staff refusing to allow him to board with an extra IKEA bag filled with clothes, Mr Williams wore the excess clothing as he couldn’t afford the £90 surcharge.
But despite acknowledging his role in the confrontation, Mr Williams took to Instagram to record the events and accuse the airline of racial profiling.
Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Williams said: ‘If I was a young white male or a young white female I would have been treated slightly differently.’
Mr Williams, from Catford, London, whose parents originate from Cuba, Jamaica, Ireland and England said: ‘The reason I say it’s racial profiling – and I hate pulling the race card – is because my whole experience of life shows me that the older generations are very nationalist.’
Explaining why he felt he had been treated unfairly, he said: ‘I’m not saying they’re racist but they see me – I’m 6ft, dreadlocks hair, military boots – if it was America they would have assumed I was a rapper but in Iceland they’re not used to black people.’
A spokesperson for British Airways strongly refuted Mr Williams’ claims and added he was not denied boarding because of the luggage but rather his behaviour towards staff.
They said: ‘The decision to deny boarding was absolutely not based on race. We do not tolerate threatening or abusive behaviour from any customer, and will always take the appropriate action.’
After being led away by police, Mr Williams claims he was pepper sprayed in the eyes, nose and mouth, which has left him unable to work and struggling to talk.
During the incident, Mr Williams posted a video to his Twitter profile slamming the airline for ‘racial profiling.’
A man traveling from Iceland to England was arrested at the Iceland Keflavík International Airport for wearing an excessive amount of clothes on Wednesday
Ryan Carney Williams, who identifies as Ryan Hawaii, reportedly wanted to avoid the excess luggage fee and therefore wore eight pairs of pants and ten shirts (pictured left)
He tweeted: ‘@British_Airways hi being held at Iceland Keflavik airport because I had no baggage put all the clothes on and they still won’t let me on. Racial profiling? Or…..’
He posted two videos asking the employees why he wasn’t allowed to board, to which one of the airline staff responded: ‘Do we need to call the police?’
In a later tweet he explained he had been arrested, pepper sprayed and held on the ground after refusing to leave.
After he gave his statement to police he returned to the airport to get an EasyJet flight he had booked for the next day.
He posted two videos asking the employees why he wasn’t allowed to board to which on of the airline staff said ‘do we need to call the police?’ (stills from the video pictured above)
Initially EasyJet refused to refund him as they said it is not under their terms and conditions
Mr Willaims says he got through check-in and security, but once he arrived at the flight gate, a man told him he wasn’t allowed to board because of the incident the day before.
‘And AGAIN! Refused from 2 flights in 2 days for no valid reason,’ he tweeted.
Mr Williams claims he was stuck at the Iceland airport with no money and without his belongings as his luggage successfully flown to England without him.
Mr Williams arrived back in England after boarding a Norwegian airline flight.
According to him, EasyJet and British Airways both refunded him after he complained to them.