Naomi Campbell Claims Racist Remark Helped Spark Air Rage Incident
First Published: June 23, 2008 3:31 PM EDT Credit: AP
Caption Naomi Campbell at the police station at London’s Heathrow AirportLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Supermodel Naomi Campbell has claimed her air rage incident in April was, in part, sparked by a racist remark.
“I was called a racial name on that flight and that was part of my reaction,” she told Britain’s Sky News.
Campbell assaulted two police offers and shouted profanities at airline crewmembers on a British Airways flight in April. She was sentenced on Friday to 200 hours of community service for the incident and required to pay fines.
“I was called a ‘Golliwog supermodel’ — I don’t think that’s really fair, do you?” Campbell claimed.
A “Golliwog” refers to a blackface style doll.
Campbell claimed “someone on the flight, not the passenger,” used the word.
According to Reuters, Campbell and her lawyers did not mention the racism claims when her court case was heard.
As for British Airways, they strongly denied Campbell’s claims.
“British Airways does not accept any allegations of racism and are proud of our diversity,” the airline said in a statement obtained by Access Hollywood. “We employ people from all over the world and follow strict guidelines. We deny that our captain or crew would use a racial slur and think it’s horrendous that anyone would accuse British Airways of something like that.”
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