It is reported that on August 12, Raed Jarrar was about to board a Jetblue flight from New York’s JFK Airport to Oakland, CA. Allegedly, four officials, either from the airline or security stopped him and informed him he could not board with the shirt on. One apparently told him, “Going to an airport with a T-shirt in Arabic script is like going to a bank and wearing a t-shirt that says: I’m a robber.”
The shirt in question read: “We will not be silent.” in English and Arabic. He initially refused their request for him to turn his shirt inside-out, but ultimately agreed to cover it in order to board. He was also forced to give up his seat in the front of the aircraft and was relocated to the rear.
The TSA, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey(which runs the airport), and Jetblue are investigating.
The airline is not a governmental agency and has the right to restrict whatever speech it wants. Having this T-Shirt aboard would have been disruptive and disturbing to other passengers, especially only 2 days after the British terror plot was foiled. This seems more reasonable to me than not allowing me to bring a water bottle on a plane.
We feel the situation as reported was handled incorrectly. The correct way to advise a passenger of a problem such as this is politely and respectfully, ie…
“Sir, we are concerned that other passengers might find your shirt distressing. Would you be willing to change?”
Secondly, it is still unclear whether it was the airline, the TSA, or the PANYNJ. The TSA is a government agency and the PANYNJ is a government organization.
Finally, the assumption that anything written in Arabic, especially if the English is under it, is distressing in itself.