Allegations of racial profiling by members of USC's Department of Public Safety were at the forefronts of a press conference that was held by the National Action Network on Tuesday.

Najee Ali speaks outside the Galen Center on Tuesday. (Celeste Alvarez/ Neon Tommy)

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Speaking in front of the Galen Center, Political Director Najee Ali of NAN demanded an independent state and federal investigation be conducted regarding racial profiling by USC Department of Public Safety officers following claims made by actress Taraji P. Henson.

“We take those claims very seriously and we know for a fact that several students have claimed they have been racially profiled by USC in recent years,” Ali said.

Henson told Uptown Magazine that she had initially planned for her 20-year-old son, Marcel Henson to transfer to USC, however decided against it after he allegedly experienced racial profiling by police officers on the campus.

The “Empire” star told the magazine police stopped him “for having his hands in his pockets.”

“I’m not paying $50K so I can’t sleep at night wondering is this the night my son is getting racially profiled on campus,” Henson told the magazine. She ultimately decided to have him attend her alma mater, Howard University, a historically black institution.

In response, DPS Chief John Thomas released a statement Monday evening stating he was “deeply disturbed to read news reports about a prospective student who felt profiled on or near campus because of his race.”

He has also stated that he would like to meet with Henson and her son to “look into this matter further and better understand who was involved and what took place.”

Thomas also noted that as “someone who personally experienced racial profiling as a teenager, I have a stake in learning more about this incident and doing all I can to reach a just resolution.”

It is unclear which police department was involved in the incident with Marcel, however Thomas did note that “[a]ny allegation of bias or unequal treatment by university officers would trigger an investigation that [he] would supervise along with the university’s Office of Equity and Diversity.”

Ali was skeptical that any investigation conducted by USC officials will be unbiased when it comes to addressing issues of racial profiling conducted by DPS. He also noted that although NAN stands by Henson they have not been in contact with her directly.

He further discusses his own experience with racial profiling at USC in the video below.

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