R&B star Ari Lennox arrested in Amsterdam, alleges racial profiling

Grammy-nominated singer, who airport police say was under influence of alcohol, tweeted that ‘Amsterdam security hate black people’

Ari Lennox, the Grammy-nominated US R&B singer, has been arrested at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport for disturbing public order.

Lennox tweeted about the incident, saying “I’m being arrested in Amsterdam for reacting to a woman racially profiling me … Fuck Amsterdam security. They hate black people … I just want to go home. I’ll never leave my house again.”

In statements to press, police said: “Our unit found a woman full of emotions, that wouldn’t calm down. That’s why she had to be taken into custody … she was probably under the influence of the alcohol, and this was later confirmed.”

Police acknowledged her allegation of racial profiling. “Our concern is to get everything on paper and ask her why she made those threats,” a spokesperson said.

A KLM spokesperson said: “There was an altercation … about seeing her identification. The lady did not show the correct document. When the employee confronted her, she drew the wrong conclusions. Meanwhile, her management has apologised to us and she will make a statement later today.”

The Guardian has contacted Lennox’s UK representatives for comment and clarification.

Lennox, real name Courtney Shanade Salter, has won a sizeable following for her R&B tracks, charting in the US with her debut album Shea Butter Baby. She is signed to Dreamville, the label owned by rapper J Cole, and has supported him on tour. She earned a Grammy nomination for best rap album along with others who appeared on the label’s Revenge of the Dreamers III, which topped the US album chart in July 2019.