AN Australian was barred from a London-Melbourne flight unless
he removed a T-shirt depicting George Bush as the world's number
one terrorist.
Allen Jasson was also prevented from catching a connecting flight
within Australia later the same day unless he removed the offending
T-shirt.
Mr Jasson says Qantas and Virgin Blue were engaging in censorship
but the airlines say the T-shirt was a security issue and could
affect the sensitivities of other passengers.
"The woman at the security check-in (at Heathrow) just said to me,
'You are not wearing that'," Mr Jasson, 55, said yesterday.
Mr Jasson, who lives in London and was flying to Australia to visit
family on December 2, said he was first told he would need to turn
the T-shirt inside-out before he would be allowed to board the
Qantas flight.
"I told her I had the right to express my opinion," he said.
"She called other security and other people got involved.
Ultimately, they said it was a security issue . . . in light of the
present situation."
After a prolonged argument about freedom of speech and expression,
Mr Jasson said a Qantas gate manager said he could not fly at all
unless he wore another T-shirt.
Mr Jasson said his clothing had already been checked in and he was
forced to buy a new T-shirt this time with London Underground
written on it coincidentally the site of a terrorist attack last
year.
"I felt I had made my point and caved in," Mr Jasson said.
But after arriving in Australia, Mr Jasson said he put his Bush
T-shirt back on and was again banned from boarding a connecting
flight this time a Virgin Blue plane from Adelaide to
Melbourne.
"It was argued other passengers could be offended," Mr Jasson
said.
"I said it was most offensive that I would be prevented from
expressing my political views."
Mr Jasson said the T-shirt often sparked comment from people in the
street.
A Virgin Blue spokeswoman said the airline had a policy to ban
offensive clothing and bare feet. "Most people use common sense and
don't go out of their way to offend people," she said.
(http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20925632-38200,00.html)
