A Muslim activist and former New Jersey congressional candidate was removed from a flight departing Newark Airport Saturday after an alleged argument broke out between her and another passenger.
In a series of tweets and a Facebook Live recorded from the plane, Amani al-Khatahtbeh claims she was unfairly removed from an American Airlines plane because a first-class passenger "felt uncomfortable" after the pair started an argument back at the airport's security line.
"An entitled white man behind me insisted on cutting me in line because I was 'still taking my shoes off'" her first tweet read.
Al-Khatahtbeh said the male passenger tried to cut her at security, and when she tried to speak to TSA agents, was told to "cut it out."
Once on board the plane, bound for Charlotte, North Carolina, al-Khatanhtbeh was asked by airline officials to deboard the plane. In one of her recordings, an airline official is heard saying she was being removed because the other passenger didn't "feel comfortable" with her on the plane.
Port Authority officials say officers were called to remove al-Khatanhtbeh after she refused to leave and demanded the other passenger be removed as well. She was eventually escorted off the plane and taken into police custody.
"The last 6 hours of my life have been draining & traumatizing," she tweeted after her release.
A spokesperson for American Airlines confirmed "an incident took place" on the departing flight, and an active investigation was underway.
"We take this issue seriously and our team is working as fast as possible to understand what occurred," an airline spokesperson said in a statement.
