Black Woman From Houston Detained In Dubai For Screaming In Public
A Black woman from Houston has been detained in Dubai by authorities since May for reportedly screaming in a public setting.
According to local station KRIV, Tierra Young Allen, a popular social media influencer who goes by the moniker, Sassy Trucker, had her passport confiscated and has been held in custody in the United Arab Emirates’ largest city.
Tina Baxter, Allen’s mother, expressed her concern about her daughter’s safety while detained in a foreign country.
"It also could result in prison time,” Baxter said. “So it’s very scary.”
Baxter said that Allen’s trouble began when she got into an accident with her friend in a rental car. When she went to the rental car company to claim her personal items, Allen was asked to make a payment to retrieve the rest of her belongings, and the store associate began to yell at her. Allen responded by screaming back at the associate.
"She found out she could only receive those items if she paid an undisclosed amount of money," Baxter explained. “She dealt with a very aggressive individual, a young man there who was screaming at her.”
Quanell X, a community activist and leader of Houston’s New Black Panther Nation, said that Allen is detained in Dubai because she spoke out for herself in a country that has a reputation for suppressing women.
"She is in jail for one reason and one reason alone, she raised her voice. In that country, a female is not even allowed to raise her voice. If she raises her voice it’s punishable by jail time," Quanell said. “They have a strict law system that is really based on theocracy.”
In addition to her detainment, Allen has been placed under a travel ban pending the outcome of the investigation. "It’s very frightening. The longer she’s been there, the more reality has started to kick in," Baxter said.
Quanell reiterated that inequality is the basis for Allen’s detainment and that means reaching out to authorities in the UAE.
"In our opinion, she did not commit a crime. Don’t punish women for doing the same thing a man can do in Dubai,” Quanell said. “It’s not fair, and it’s not right. I’ve reached out to the Dubai Consulate. I’ve reached out to the American Consulate there in Dubai.”
“I have also reached out to the US and UAE embassies. I’m still awaiting responses,” he added.
Allen has retained an attorney in Dubai and if found guilty, she could face time in prison.
