Melbourne, Australia – A man was removed from a Qantas flight to London because he would not take off a T-shirt with a picture of President Bush and the slogan “World’s 1 terrorist.”
Allen Jasson said Monday he was turned away Friday at a Qantas gate in Melbourne.
After passing through security unchallenged, Jasson said he approached a Qantas staff member because he had been asked to remove the shirt before boarding a domestic flight days earlier.
“I raised the issue, but I wanted primarily to thank Qantas for relenting when he told me: ‘I’m surprised you got this far, the staff should have stopped you.”‘
Qantas Airways Ltd. said in a statement: “Whether made verbally or on a T-shirt, comments with the potential to offend other customers or threaten the security of a Qantas group aircraft will not be tolerated.”
Jasson, an Australian who lives in London, said Qantas had offered to put him on another flight if he does not wear the shirt. But he has declined.
“I might forfeit the fare, but I have made up my mind that I would rather stand up for the principle of free speech,” he said.
