Cannes: Guard accused of harassing Kelly Rowland, Massiel Taveras, YoonA
What's the story
Amid the celebratory atmosphere of the 77th Cannes Film Festival's conclusion on Saturday, the event faced a somber cloud of racism allegations involving a security guard. K-pop sensation YoonA, songstress Kelly Rowland, and Dominican actor Massiel Taveras found themselves allegedly targeted by the guard, who reportedly hindered their interactions with the cameras. After videos and photos depicting these incidents recently went viral, fans reacted, stating that the guard seemed to have an issue with "women of color."
First altercation
It all started with Rowland
The issue first garnered attention when Rowland was seen in a tense exchange with the female security guard at the Marcello Mio premiere on May 21. Photos from the event showed the singer smiling at the crowd while ascending the red carpet steps, before engaging in what appeared to be a heated argument with the guard. The former Destiny's Child star looked visibly upset, even pointing her finger at the woman. Clearly displeased, Rowland eventually walked away.
Statement
'I have a boundary': Rowland spoke out about her encounter
Rowland later shared her experience in an interview to AP. "The woman knows what happened. I know what happened and I have a boundary, and I stand by those boundaries, and that is it," she said. She further added that other women who didn't look like her were not treated in the same way. "I stood my ground, and she felt like she had to stand hers, but I stood my ground," Rowland stated.
Confrontation
Dominican actor faced similar treatment
The situation escalated when Taveras, dressed in a white gown with a long train featuring an image of Jesus Christ, faced similar treatment from allegedly the same guard on May 22. A video showed her struggling with the security guard who appeared to be trying to stop her from moving her train and posing for photographers. Despite being rushed by the guard toward the building, Taveras managed to push past her.
Incident
K-Pop star YoonA's red carpet experience tainted
In another incident, YoonA—a member of the K-pop group Girl Generation—arrived at the festival in a stunning pink gown for the screening of Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1. However, later, a video surfaced showing how the guard raised her hand in front of YoonA, blocking her from taking pictures. Although she didn't express her anger openly, her facial expression showed visible annoyance and discomfort as she was rushed away while trying to pose on the Cannes's stairs.
Twitter Post
Here are the videos
Yoona was also a victim to that rac*st security guard that’s trying to make room for her white stars … it’s obvi that this is the reason …
— Rah Rah (@officiallrahrah) May 25, 2024
What a piece of 💩 for pushing and rushing our POC stars and not letting them shine #MassielTaveras#KellyRowland#Cannes2024pic.twitter.com/Ps5Ue0BcB9
Reactions
'French are still rude, pushy, and targeting certain folks': Reactions
Outraged fans flocked to social media, demanding Cannes address the guard's racist behavior. One user on X even called on French President Emmanuel Macron to comment, writing, "Not a good look for a FILM festival showing the French are still rude, pushy, and targeting CERTAIN folks by PUSHING them, stepping on their clothes & laughing." Another user echoed this sentiment, calling the incident "Shameful and shocking."