Activist Amani Al-Khatatbeh, founder of the Muslim Girl website, was arrested and expelled from a US Airways plane in New Jersey, for allegedly not responding to the instructions, which sparked outrage on the communication sites.
According to what Amani, the former congressional candidate, recounted in a series of tweets to her on Twitter, she was expelled and detained for 4 hours, because a first-class passenger did not accept her presence on the plane.
About the experience, which she described as "the craziest," Amani said, "a white man was standing behind me insisting on exceeding my role in the line, because I was still taking off my shoes to be examined in front of the monitor."
This is the @AmericanAir manager coming onboard to tell me that they're removing me from my flight because "there is a passenger onboard who doesn't feel comfortable" with me.
pic.twitter.com/pwBS5NkvAn
- AMANI (@ AMANI2020) November 15, 2020
She added that she asked him to wait like the rest, so he started talking about how to pre-check, class and first, then put his things in front of their things and hurriedly pass through the inspection machine, without the security personnel interfering.
Amani criticized the members of the Transportation Security Administration, who not only prevented him from bypassing it, but one of them asked her to stop speaking, indicating that she would have been arrested if she, as a Muslim, had done so.
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Amani published a video clip of the airline's director trying to get her off the plane, and commented, "He climbed up to tell me that they are getting off my flight because there is a passenger on the plane who does not feel comfortable with me."
For its part, the airline responded to a tweet saying, "Your comments are important to us and we would like to consider this matter. Please send your complaint and what happened in a message via the account."
Your comments concern us and we'd like to look into this.
Please DM your record locator and what happened.
- americanair (@AmericanAir) November 14, 2020
The CEO of the Council on American Islamic Relations, Nihad Awad, also asked the company to clarify its position.
CAIR-New Jersey Demands Answers After Harassed Muslim Woman Ejected from Newark American Airlines Flight and Arrested - Insider NJ - https://t.co/1YIwNUFEYl.@AMANI2020 #AmericanAirlines
- Nihad Awad (@NihadAwad) November 15, 2020
Several reactions emerged about the incident by Muslim and American singers, who demanded the company to explain the situation, which they saw carries a racist background against the Muslim activist, stressing their rejection of discrimination.
Had to get off my flight because a man asked a Muslim woman to get off the plane.
@AmericanAir employees followed his request and gave the woman no explanation pic.twitter.com/ASZYA9Yx7d
- Jake (@yesjaketapia) November 14, 2020
well this is absolutely terrible.
#EverydayIslamophobia https://t.co/KKy8qxfKLv
- Muhammad Butt (@muhammadbutt) November 16, 2020
Pay for first class and fill out the form for TSA pre-check and you will not feel you are being treated as a terrorist.
Life is not fair and no matter what your parents told you you are not always correct or special.
https://t.co/uqzabVJ9O8
- Iron Rhino 333 (@ IRONRHINO333) November 15, 2020