The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office has been forced to open an internal investigation after one of its employees on a Delta Air flight from Tampa reported four Palestinian American men for ‘suspicious behaviour’.
It turns out, however, that the four men were entirely innocent and have recounted a completely different version of events that took place on the January 8 flight, prompting allegations of racial bias.
In a statement posted to its official X account (formerly Twitter), the Sheriff’s Office said an unnamed employee initially reported the men to the flight crew, who in turn called police to meet the plane on arrival at MSP Airport last Monday.
The four men were then allegedly escorted off the airplane by a flight attendant who “screamed” at them and then waited with the men until police officers arrived.
The sister of one of the men accused airline staff and law enforcement of racially profiling them because they spoke in Arabic and English and wore Palestinian necklaces.
The off-duty law enforcement passenger onboard the flight told police that she “watched them get up multiple times to go use the bathroom, and as each one came back, they would whisper with their arms around each other,” according to a police report.
“She said she found their behavior odd and decided to get up and get some water. While doing so, she approached them and asked if they were on a guy’s trip.”
In response, one of the men allegedly told her that they were “CIA on a secret mission” while pointing to an unattended black bag.
The men dismiss that version of events, claiming the woman approached them while they were standing in the aisle waiting to use the bathroom. The woman repeatedly asked about their trip, and they jokingly said they had a “wedding mission to complete”.
One of the men, identified as 24 year old Louay Adley, says he asked the woman if an unattended bag belonged to her but didn’t think more of their conversation until the plane landed.
The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office says the responding officers “determined that no crime had been committed & that no further action was needed” after interviewing the men.
“All data related to this incident will be thoroughly reviewed by our office. As always, our employees’ conduct must be consistent with our values & policies as we continue to protect & serve in a manner that preserves the public trust,” a statement from the Sheriff’s Office continued.
Responding to allegations that a flight attendant was rude to the men, a spokesperson for Delta noted: “Delta is reaching out to our customers to understand more about what occurred. We do not condone discriminatory conduct.”
TOTH: View From the Wing
Correction to your article…
The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office does NOT cover the airport. The Airport Police Department, a part of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, cover it.
The article does not say that the Anoka County Sheriff’s Department covers the airport. The article says that the law enforcement employee on board the plane works for the Anoka County Sheriff’s Department, that they opened an internal affairs investigation, and that the Anoka County Sheriff’s Department paraphrased a report from whatever law enforcement agency responded.
It did initially, unfortunately. This was corrected. Sorry for the confusion.
Racism and discrimination? In this country? No! I don’t believe it! (Sarcasm). That’s kinda what happens when an acting, or former President normalizes racism again… If it were up to him, he’d kick all non-white, non-americans out of the country all together. Acting like we didn’t all immigrate here ourselves. Garbage humans everywhere!
I am sorry that you feel that way. But to me if you don’t like it here then bayberry you should leave because I am sorry but if they where not born in the United States then why have them here and pay for there living. Did you know a Mexican gets free ebt and a free vehicle oh and 1 other thing they get a free house while we pay for taxes to support them but hey I am a single American woman who was born in the United States even working full time plus not having to spend any time with them cause I work yet all of my money goes for bills and food and still when hard times hit to get brand new tired to take my daughter to Duluth so I can spend some time with her that took money away from bills and I even applied to for ebt or emergency assistance. That is not right when I need it there is none but yet we pay Mexicans living China living and smolieans but we can’t help our own. I hope Trump gets into office and send those mother donkeys back where they Belong so we the people can help each one our so there is money when we the people need it.
@ Carrie. You are wrong on multiple levels. If we were to send everyone non white your status likely would not change. What you allege “a Mexican gets free ebt and a free vehicle oh and 1 other thing they get a free house while we pay for taxes to support them” is not true and I cannot help to be surprised you seem to be gullible enough not only to believe it but to repeat it as if it were a fact. If you want to help yourself and your daughter your best option might be to concentrate on learning how to write your own language (you meant “their” not “there”), not to even go into “Trump gets into office and send those mother donkeys back where they Belong so we the people can help each one our so there is money when we the people need it.”, which is hard to understand at all. By encouraging hate and prejudice Trump is more likely to destroy us than ever “make America great again.
Its kind of funny you come on here spread the misinformation and lies that you hear no right wing news. Mexicans are just like any other Americans. We do not receive free homes and vehicles and government sponsored debt cards. Everything we have we work hard for. Nothing is giving to us that not available to other Americans. Instead of believing the lies spread by right wing media, you should do some real research and see where our government spends the money. Sorry you don’t have access to government aid and you don’t make enough money to sustain yourself and children. Lots of red states block federal aid to struggling family’s like yours’s because they hate poor people like you and me. If you vote Red these guys don’t care about you. All they care about is making sure the corporations and rich pay little or no taxes at all. While they ensure the rich get richer, they spending that helps family’s, education that empower people to better themselves and provide a sustainable future for them selves. They cut access to health care that struggling family’s need.
I’m, sorry for your bad luck, blaming Mexicans wont fix anything.
Carrie it is not true that ” Mexican gets free ebt and a free vehicle oh and 1 other thing they get a free house while we pay for taxes to support them”. Very few of the people which are crossing the Southern border are even Mexican (although I realize that would not make any difference to you). Believe me sending every single one of them back would not improve your situation. If Trump got into office again he certainly would not “make America great again”, on the contrary he would further divide us.
Sure. It’s not like Arabs have ever done anything sinister on an airplane before!!! Take your head out of your bottom. If you see something, say something. I don’t care if your snowflake feelings get hurt.
This person was right to report the Palestinians on the Delta plane. Better a rude complaint than a plane being blown away.
Today in Israel two Palestinians attacked people with a car ramming and killed one woman and injured many others.There is no distinction between Hamas and Palestinians in Israel or in other places.
Says a proud boy. No distinction between your comment and anybody ELSE doing bad things. It seems that only certain folks bad behavior is okay. Might even get a few tv shows with their crimes highlighted.
So is Boing run by Palestinians? Boing the.ones endangering lives and have.planes dropping out the sky killing hundreds
Right on!
9/11 mean nothing to you?
It’s been two years now, aren’t the “Adults” back in charge?
You’re correct, the current administration is excellent at racism & discrimination, segregating & classifying, choosing people by their skin color or gender…NOT because they are the best choice.
But, keep pushing your TDS meds to the back of the cabinet and let your unhinged hysterics flourish!!!
Wow, you sound like Musk. Keep trying, like him to say the pilots tests have changed, so you can do that “best choice” malarkey. The FAA multi engine commercial ticket doesn’t care about color
If you see something…say something! Blaming Trump signals to others your stupidity. Actions by group during flight very suspicious.
“Palestinian” is not a race. It is an ethnicity.
It wasnt racist. If they indeed said something akin to on a CIA secret mission I would have started choking them until police arrived. You racist warriors have no idea how spoiled you are and dont know what racism is. Go live in asia and find out what actual racism is really like. Ask a Filipino in Japan or an Indonesian in Vietnam.
No such thing as a “Palestinian American”…..more media bias and division.
Time to take your medication, Jay Bee.
Well, if we are going to stick with the motto “See something, say something” then we cannot penalize people for reporting what they consider to be a suspicious behavior or item. Public safety has to come first, before political correctness and if people worry that they will be accused of racism if they report things they notice, that’s a slippery slope to disaster and one that will definitely be exploited by actual extremists.
They should sue delta into non existence. !!!! I am sick and tired of these dirty evil white Floridians causing problems to better innocent folks !!!! Stupid nasty white animals, time to hate back !!!
The alert to suspicious behavior is what Indigenous people should have done on the appearance of white settlers decades ago. Imagine U.S. immigrants complaining about immigrants from other countries. Then to tell people to go back where they came from without considering return as an option for yourself. The hypocrisy is only outweighed by unbridled arrogance and ignorance.
Another example of the ignorance and stupidity of Americans. I’m glad they were sarcastic and gave an inane answer because the people don’t have to answer to belligerence from companies whom hire stupid people whom don’t ‘get it’. Soon, you will realize. Soon, you will realize.
Oh, and when you’re white trash, and you’re preemptive Texas cop buddies are no longer able to steal and rearrange every word people say with their parabolic word scramblers, who’s going to come down the tarmac trying to criminalize ‘brown’ people? My guess is, soon, you will realize!!!
💥💥💥
That’s what’s great about free speech. .
It’s a blast!
Ma Salaam….