The Thanksgiving holiday weekend closed out with a bang as millions of viewers watched Maxwell, Ashanti and other legends grace the historic Apollo Theater stage during the 2021 Soul Train Awards. Adding to the night’s celebration, Dreamville artist Ari Lennox made a number of appearances. Not only did she perform “Pressure” from her upcoming project, but she also joined Summer Walker for another show-stopping performance. Unfortunately, her night did not end as well as many would hope.
While millions of viewers tuned into to see a taped performance from Ari Lennox, the singer was making her way through Amsterdam. One night after performing alongside Sevyn Streeter in Connecticut, Lennox found herself in a harrowing situation. According to several posts from the singer’s Twitter account, she was racially profiled before being arrested by foreign authorities.
“F—- Amsterdam security. They hate black people,” Ari Lennox tweeted at 4:16 a.m. ET.
“They’re arresting me. I’m being arrested in Amsterdam for reacting to a woman racially profiling me.”
Wow
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 29, 2021
I just want to go home. I’ll never leave my house again.
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 29, 2021
The Dutch military police have attempted to counter Ari Lennox’s tweets by saying that she was arrested for exhibiting “aggressive” behavior at the Schiphol Airport.
“Our unit found a woman full of emotions, that wouldn’t calm down,” police spokesman Robert van Kapel told Reuters.
“That’s why she had to be taken into custody.”
Reuters also reports that Lennox is currently in custody and will be detained as police investigate “threats” she allegedly made during the incident.
Ari Lennox’s manager was reportedly with her at the time of the incident as well, but it is unclear if he was arrested as well. More will be added to this story as it develops.
Reading about Black trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
For more mental health resources, click HERE.
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