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U.S. Reporter Targeted with Racial Profiling on Way to South Africa
A reporter for The Daily Caller, Derek VanBuskirk, has alleged that he was racially profiled by a black man with what appeared to be a South African accent while boarding a flight from Paris to Johannesburg.
The incident occurred as VanBuskirk traveled to South Africa to investigate claims of “genocide” against Afrikaners, a white ethnic minority descended from Dutch settlers.
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The story, originally published by The Daily Caller, has sparked discussions about racial tensions and identity, particularly given the context of VanBuskirk’s reporting mission.
According to VanBuskirk, the encounter took place at the airport gate in Paris as he prepared to board his flight. The man, described as wearing a suit and acting in a position of authority, stopped VanBuskirk to check his passport and questioned him about his heritage. “He asked where I was from, and when I said California, he asked where my parents were from. ‘California,’ I said,” VanBuskirk recounted in a video shared on X.
The man then pointed out that VanBuskirk’s last name, which is Dutch in origin, suggested a different heritage, continuing to press the reporter despite VanBuskirk explaining that his father was adopted and that he is not Dutch. “I just boarded and the racism has already started,” VanBuskirk told his editors, adding, “It didn’t even occur to me that I might be confused with an Afrikaner.”
The timing of the incident is notable, as VanBuskirk’s trip coincides with heightened attention on Afrikaners in South Africa. The Daily Caller reported over the weekend prior to the article’s publication that the Trump administration is working to resettle “thousands” of Afrikaner refugees in the United States by late summer 2025.
This initiative comes amid claims of increased racial tensions, murders, and property theft targeting Afrikaners since the end of apartheid in South Africa. VanBuskirk’s assignment in South Africa involves speaking with farmers who claim to have been victimized and touring areas affected by this violence, a mission he will continue for the rest of the week.
The man’s apparent South African accent and authoritative demeanor raise questions about his identity and role at the airport. While VanBuskirk noted that the individual seemed to act in an official capacity, the reporter still had to present his passport to another official later, suggesting the man may not have been part of the standard airline or airport staff. Could this person have been a South African government official, or perhaps an intelligence or police officer?
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has a history of involvement in border control, as evidenced by a 2020 incident where four Cape Town police officers at Cape Town International Airport were arrested for extorting money from Chinese businesses, according to a Wikipedia entry on SAPS.
Additionally, the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa oversees travel documentation and identity verification, often working with other agencies at international entry points. While there’s no direct evidence to confirm the man’s affiliation, the possibility of South African authorities monitoring travelers, especially those like VanBuskirk, who are investigating sensitive topics, cannot be ruled out.
VanBuskirk’s experience has already drawn attention online, with an X post by @AliceVLAuthor prompting varied reactions. Some users expressed skepticism, questioning the racism claim, while others criticized the narrative as an attempt to misrepresent South Africans.
As VanBuskirk continues his reporting in South Africa, this incident underscores the complex interplay of race, identity, and authority in a global context, leaving open questions about who the man at the airport might have been and what his intentions were.
Read more at Daily Caller.
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