Exclusive: UK creative industry union Bectu has opened an investigation into an alleged racially insensitive incident involving Ken Ashley-Johnson, the chairman of its grip branch, on the set of a recent shoot. As part of the process, Ashley-Johnson has been suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry.
Deadline has seen a letter sent by the producers of the shoot to the union detailing the allegations, and the specifics have been verified by those with direct knowledge of the incident. The Instagram account @advertising.accountability, which exposes racism in the creative industries, has also published documents that match the report filed to Bectu. The production was a music video for the British rapper Shygirl and Ashley-Johnson was employed to operate a crane on set.
The letter details an incident that took place on May 20, 2021, during which Ashley-Johnson, who is white, is alleged to have used the N-word in front of Black crew,...
Deadline has seen a letter sent by the producers of the shoot to the union detailing the allegations, and the specifics have been verified by those with direct knowledge of the incident. The Instagram account @advertising.accountability, which exposes racism in the creative industries, has also published documents that match the report filed to Bectu. The production was a music video for the British rapper Shygirl and Ashley-Johnson was employed to operate a crane on set.
The letter details an incident that took place on May 20, 2021, during which Ashley-Johnson, who is white, is alleged to have used the N-word in front of Black crew,...
- 6/7/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
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