Daisy Osakue, an Olympic champion discus thrower, recently took to social media to voice her frustration over an incident of racial profiling she experienced at the Apple Store on via Roma, Turin. Osakue, who lives just outside Torino, described being suddenly stopped by security under the assumption she was stealing because of her race.
On what was, by all accounts, a warm and sunny day, Osakue entered the store to purchase an adapter for her new phone. She recounted her experience, stating, "C'era tantissima gente e hanno fermato proprio me, bloccata all'improvviso come se stessi rubando tutto il negozio. Mi dà fastidio, molto fastidio." ("There were so many people, and they stopped me, suddenly blocked as if I was stealing the whole store. It bothers me, it bothers me a lot.")
While she was exploring the products on the upper level of the store, Osakue was approached by a security staff member wearing an orange vest who demanded she pay before leaving. Taken aback, she asked for clarification, stating, "What do you mean? I'm going downstairs; after I look at what I need, I'll pay downstairs." The security guard responded, "I'm just doing my job," which prompted Osakue to confront him directly.
"Let's be serious, let's look each other in the face: you stopped me and not other people because I'm the only person of color here?" she challenged. At this point, she opened her wallet to show her badge as a member of the Guardia di Finanza, illustrating her status as not just any shopper but the only black soldier present. "Hai bloccato l'unico militare di colore e hai fermato me perché credevi che stessi rubando," she told the security guard. ("You stopped the only black soldier and stopped me because you thought I was stealing.")
The incident evokes strong emotions, especially for Osakue, who has faced racism before. Back in 2018, she was the target of a vicious attack when someone hurled eggs at her from a moving car, resulting in a corneal injury. With this history, the latest encounter added to her frustrations surrounding racial profiling. "Capisco che stava lavorando, la gente ruba e tutto quello che vuoi. Ma il 'racial profiling' resta 'racial profiling' e quando ci sono più persone dimostri che ti basi su preconcetti e non fatti," Osakue remarked. ("I understand he was working, people steal and all, but 'racial profiling' remains 'racial profiling' and when there are more people, you show you rely on preconceptions and not facts.")
After her experience, Osakue noted the apologetic response from the Apple staff, which provided her some comfort amid the incident's emotional toll. Their response aided her throughout the following walk home, where she reflected on the broader implications of such profiling incidents. "Torno a casa a piedi. Se salgo su un bus e qualcuno mi tocca parto di testa. Ma è tutta colpa mia, che ho pensato di uscire di casa, sotto Natale, per fare shopping," she stated, expressing not only her anger but her despair over being treated this way simply for trying to shop. ("I walk home. If I get on a bus and someone touches me, I'll lose it. But it's all my fault for thinking of going out, near Christmas, to shop.")
This incident shines a light on the persistent issue of racial profiling, demonstrating how biases can lead to high-profile misunderstandings, even for someone as accomplished as Osakue. Her determined voice continues to resonate, reaching many who can relate to experiences of discrimination, as she bravely confronts these biases publicly. Daisy Osakue remains not just a medalist but also a strong advocate against racism, using her platform to share her truths and challenge societal norms.
