Yikes. Morrissey penned a new blog on his personal website on Wednesday, July 29, in which he writes that he was "sexually assaulted" by airport security in San Francisco.
The British singer, 56, published an entry simply titled "San Francisco International Airport" on his True to You Morrissey Zine. In it, he details an alleged incident that took place on Monday, July 27, when he arrived at the California airport to board a British Airways flight to London.
"At 2:30 in the afternoon I went through the usual airport security procedure including the stand-up 'scanner,' and all was well — no bleeps and nothing unusual," the Smiths alum began. "Before I could gather my belongings from the usual array of trays I was approached by an 'airport security officer' who stopped me, crouched before me and groped my penis and testicles. He quickly moved away as an older 'airport security officer' approached."
Morrissey says he was accompanied by two members of British Airways Special Services, who suggested he lodge a complaint. "I filed the appropriate information. However, before doing so, the guilty 'officer' was confronted…" he continued.
The rocker went on to detail a conversation with the man who he claims groped him, in which the officer repeatedly answered, "That's just your opinion," when he was told he sexually groped Morrissey and it was illegal.
"Apart from 'that's just your opinion,' he would not comment, even though, since the penis and testicles were mine and no one else's, then my opinion must surely have some meaning," the star added on his blog. "But, of course, what the airport security officer was saying was: your opinion will never count in the eyes of the law. The words 'that's just your opinion' volunteered themselves from this 'officer's' mouth before he had even heard the question. He knew he could be confronted, but he also knew that he could never be challenged… Should you find yourself traveling through San Francisco International Airport, you should expect sexual abuse from the so-called 'security officers' who, we are unconvincingly warned, are acting only for our security."
A representative for the Transportation Security Administration released a statement to the New York Daily News denying the incident. The spokesperson told the newspaper, "Upon review of closed circuit TV footage, TSA determined that the supervised officer followed standard operating procedures in the screening of this individual."
