George Floyd mockery, Django reenactment: Lawsuit details Phoenix airport racism

A lawsuit has been filed by the estate of Niena Allen, a former Black baggage handler at Piedmont Airlines, alleging a pattern of racist behavior at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The complaint details incidents such as white employees mocking George Floyd's death, reenacting scenes from the film Django Unchained, and leaving a noose in a luggage-sorting area.

Allegedly, white supervisors mocked Floyd's death in 2023 by posting a picture on an office bulletin board, which was eventually fired; however, a third supervisor who took and posted the image was not disciplined and later promoted. In February 2025, white employees quoted racist dialogue from Django Unchained in the mainline break room, and Allen was asked to photograph them, where she allegedly witnessed one employee with a hood over his head resembling a Ku Klux Klan member.

The lawsuit alleges that management failed to address these issues adequately and that white employees were treated more leniently for misconduct compared to Black employees. The estate seeks damages, interest, legal fees, and court costs, while alleging violations of US civil rights laws.