Tony Hyde Shares His Story of Racial Profiling

LOS ANGELES – Although it has been almost 30 years since he was arrested by police in South Florida, Tony Hyde is still irked by an incident the Jamaican contends was racially-motivated. He recalls that 1998 episode in The Day Racism Walked In My Door. This is his first book, and it was released in February.

It is distributed through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Hyde, proprietor of the Sattdown Jamaican Grill in Studio City, Los Angeles, told South Florida Caribbean News that the incident scarred him for many years.

“This had a major impact on me emotionally, mentally and financially. I lost everything that I had worked so hard for,” said Hyde. “At the time I had dreadlocks and I believe that is why I was targeted and stereotyped.”

It stemmed from a November, 1998 freeway mishap with an immigration officer. While admitting he was wrong by cutting off the officer, Hyde says it was not intentional, but that resulted in a task force searching his Tony’s Restaurant in West Palm Beach as well as his home.

Born in Kingston and raised in rural Manchester parish, southern Jamaica, Hyde migrated to the United States in 1973. His family settled in New York. However, he eventually moved to South Florida and pursued his passion for cooking.

Although the case against him was dropped in October, 1999, Hyde, a green card holder, said he was treated like a criminal. At one point, the judge ordered him deported to Jamaica.

Trump Administration

The Trump administration’s rigid policies against immigrants inspired Hyde to write The Day Racism Walked In My Door. Since his inauguration on January 20, president Donald Trump has lived up to his main election promise. His promise was to clamp down on what he says is a relentless flow of foreigners into the United States.

Despite his embarrassing ordeal 27 years ago, Hyde bears no grudge against immigration personnel.

“My love and respect for law enforcement didn’t change, regardless of what I have been through. You can’t say all police officers are bad. In life you have to  take the bitter with the sweet,” he said.