Sam Saadeh, of Palestinian origin, traveling with United Airlines in the USA, was in danger of being taken off the plane because of his T-shirt that read "Bombing children is not self-defense". The passenger, who had to change his clothes after the flight attendant found his T-shirt "disturbing", filed a complaint against the airline company with the US Department of Transportation.
The incident happened to New Jersey resident Sam Saadeh, who boarded a plane from Atlanta to Newark Liberty International Airport on June 4. Saadeh said that just before the flight took off, an airline official approached him, took him off the plane and demanded that he change his T-shirt.
Saadeh, who could not hide her surprise at the treatment she was subjected to, narrated the dialogue between her and the official with the following words:
"He said, 'Look, the flight attendant found your T-shirt offensive.' When I asked why, I was told, 'Here are your options: You can either change your T-shirt or you can't get on this plane.'"
Saadeh, who is of Palestinian origin, stated that he wore the black T-shirt with the words "Bombing children is not self-defense" written in white letters to draw attention to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
In a report published by the United Nations (UN) in June, it was determined that more than 20 thousand Palestinian children had been killed by Israeli security forces since October 2023, and the Israeli government rejected this report. Saadeh argued that his T-shirt carries a universal humanitarian message rather than a political stance, and said, "No matter what nation you are from, this T-shirt clearly states that bombing children is wrong."
Despite feeling humiliated, Saadeh agreed to change his T-shirt in order not to miss the flight, but did not receive a satisfactory response from airline representatives after reaching Newark.
Describing his meeting with United Airlines officials in New Jersey, the passenger said that the officer kept saying to him, "You can see how disturbing this T-shirt is, the year is 2026," and he replied, "Do you think children should not be bombed, or do you think they should be bombed? What exactly bothers you?" He stated that he asked the question.
Making a statement to PEOPLE magazine on the subject, a United Airlines spokesperson avoided giving details and only said, "The passenger flew as planned after changing his shirt."
In United Airlines' official Contract of Carriage, the company has the right to refuse to carry passengers whose "attire is obscene, indecent or offensive." However, the contract does not contain a clear explanation of how the boundaries of the term "disturbing" are drawn and what kind of clothing falls within this scope.
Stating that he will seek his rights after the discrimination he experienced, Sam Saadeh stated that he met with his lawyers and filed an official complaint with the US Department of Transportation.