Protestors will picket U.S. Airways Monday to demand the airline meet with the National Association for Advancement of Colored People regarding the Deshon Marman case.
Marman, 20, was arrested June 15 at San Francisco International Airport after he allegedly ignored requests by U.S. Airways staff to pull up his pants to cover his underwear as he boarded a plane.
Police alleged that he refused to leave a plane and then resisted officers when they tried to handcuff him.
However, Marman has said he told airline staff he could not pull his pants up because his hands were full with his bags. The San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office decided not to file charges after reviewing the case, and Marman has since reportedly said he is planning a lawsuit against the airline.
The NAACP has denounced the airline’s actions. Brown noted that the airline has recently allowed a cross-dresser to fly roundtrip without objections, but threw Marman off a plane for failing to fix a “broken drawstring.”
“US Airways racially profiled Deshon that day because he was a young, African-American male with dreadlocks, and chose to place the blame on his attire,” said Amos Brown, president of the NAACP’s San Francisco chapter.
Brown said the NAACP was seeking to meet with the airline and ask it to clearly define and execute their dress policy.
US Airways officials did not return a call requesting comment Sunday night. Previously they have said that the main issue in Marman’s case was his refusal to comply with orders from airline crew and not with his clothing.
The NAACP and other community groups plan to picket outside the U.S. Airways departure area at SFO at 2 p.m.
Sara Gaiser, Bay City News
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