GENEVA — French human rights activist Karine Duval says she’s no stranger to discomfort, debate, or dissent. But nothing prepared her for the humiliation she faced at Zurich International Airport this week, where she claims she was subjected to excessive and invasive security screening simply because she “looked suspicious.”

The incident has since gone viral, triggering a global firestorm about racism, xenophobia, and the persistent issue of racial profiling — even in so-called progressive countries.

“I wasn’t carrying weapons, drugs, or anything illegal,” Karine said during a tearful press conference the following day. “I was just a woman of color with a laptop. Apparently, that’s still threatening in 2025.”

“Step Aside, Ma’am”

Karine had just concluded a keynote speech at the European Forum on Tech Justice — a summit focused on AI ethics and civil rights — and was returning to Paris when the incident occurred. She arrived at Zurich Airport two hours early, passed through the usual security checks, and made her way toward the gate.

That’s when she was approached by two uniformed security officers.

“They asked to see my passport again. Then they took my bag and asked me to follow them,” Karine recounted. “No explanation. No smiles. Just cold, clinical suspicion.”

What followed, according to Karine, was a 40-minute ordeal: multiple rounds of questioning, full-body pat-downs, and a forensic-style inspection of her laptop, hard drives, and personal belongings.

“I kept asking, ‘Why me?’” she said. “They said, ‘Standard procedure.’ But I watched a dozen other passengers walk by untouched. All white. All unbothered.”

“We Had a Flag”

Airport security later released a statement claiming Karine was subjected to “routine secondary screening due to a random alert.” However, an anonymous employee at the airport contradicted that claim in a message sent to Swiss media.

“She was flagged by facial recognition algorithms as ‘potential risk’ based on unknown parameters,” the insider wrote. “It’s not random. The system learns patterns — and sadly, those patterns reflect human bias.”

That single sentence — “the system learns patterns” — has since gone viral on social media, raising alarms about how AI-powered airport surveillance may be silently perpetuating the very racism it claims to be removing.

International Condemnation

Karine’s experience has sparked intense international backlash. Human rights organizations across Europe, the U.S., and Africa have issued statements of support, calling for investigations into discriminatory practices at border security points.

Amnesty International condemned the airport’s actions as “an egregious example of algorithmic racism and dehumanization,” and called on Switzerland to suspend use of facial recognition tools until independent audits can be conducted.

Even the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Lange, weighed in:

“Karine Duval is not just a citizen. She is a symbol. And the treatment she received is symbolic of a far deeper, more dangerous issue: that brown and Black bodies are still presumed guilty until proven innocent.”

“How Dare You Travel Alone?”

What stung Karine the most, she says, wasn’t the inconvenience — but the implication.

“At one point, a guard asked me, ‘Why are you traveling alone?’ I was shocked. Since when is that suspicious? Would he ask a white woman that question?”

She also recalled a moment that felt particularly degrading. “They held up a book I was reading — James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time — and asked, ‘Is this political literature?’ I couldn’t believe it. Is reading Baldwin now a threat?”

Karine believes this wasn’t just about security. It was about power — and the quiet terror of institutional mistrust.

A Pattern, Not an Isolated Case

This isn’t the first time such incidents have occurred. In fact, studies by the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) have shown that travelers of African, Middle Eastern, or South Asian descent are up to four times more likely to be subjected to “enhanced screening” in European airports.

“It’s the unspoken truth of European travel,” said Dr. Zahra Neumann, a professor of sociology in Berlin. “The borders are no longer just lines on a map — they’re embedded in the faces of people who are seen as ‘other.’”

Karine’s ordeal, captured in a few iPhone clips by nearby passengers, is now being compared to the viral 2018 incident involving British MP Layla Rahman, who was detained at Heathrow for “passport inconsistencies” later proven false.

“You Are Not Welcome Here”

On the same day Karine’s story broke, a graffiti message appeared at a train station in Lyon, reading: “You are not welcome here if your skin offends the scanner.”

It was signed only: Citizen X.

The message, widely shared on Instagram and Twitter, has come to represent the emotional weight of Karine’s words — and the growing frustration of communities who feel targeted, invisible, or reduced to a threat.

“This isn’t just about me,” Karine said. “It’s about every person who’s been told — subtly or violently — ‘You don’t belong.’”

Pushing for Accountability

Karine has filed a formal complaint with the Swiss Federal Department of Justice, demanding an independent review of Zurich Airport’s security policies. Her legal team is also considering a civil rights lawsuit under European anti-discrimination statutes.

Meanwhile, a Change.org petition calling for a ban on racially biased surveillance tools in airports has gathered over 1.2 million signatures in just 48 hours.

“Technology should protect us,” Karine said. “Not profile us. Not erase us.”

She paused, her voice catching slightly. “This is not a war against security. It’s a plea for dignity.”

A Global Flashpoint

From CNN to Al Jazeera, Karine’s story has become front-page news — a flashpoint in the global debate over race, surveillance, and civil liberties.

As one BBC anchor put it: “When even a world-renowned human rights activist is treated like a suspect because of her skin tone and a laptop, what does that say about the rest of us?”

Karine herself seems both weary and galvanized.

“I didn’t ask to become a symbol,” she said. “But if my humiliation can wake people up — then let them wake. I’m done whispering.”