What it’s about

A traveler named Corey Feldman reported an incident on a Virgin Atlantic flight where a flight attendant asked him to cover his ‘F*** Hamas’ shirt. The flight was traveling between the United Kingdom and New York at the end of May.

Why it matters

This incident brings into question how airlines balance the sensitivities of different passengers, especially when the message on clothing pertains to a globally recognized terrorist organization. Supporters of this stance argue that strong expressions against terrorist groups should not be stifled in favor of misplaced sensitivities.

What happened

Corey Feldman took to Facebook to share his experience, stating: “What if I’m offended, Virgin? Your priority is to protect the feelings of those who feel allegiance to our sworn enemies over those who have fought to protect Western values?” Feldman pointed out that he has shrapnel injuries from an encounter with Hamas operatives, underscoring the personal impact this group has had on him.

Additional details

Feldman added, “I explained that Hamas is a terrorist organization, designated as such by both the United States and the United Kingdom.” Yet, the airline staff reportedly insisted, stating, “We need to think about everyone on the flight.” To emphasize the disparity, Feldman compared it to hypothetical offense being taken at a shirt saying “F*** Cancer.”

Current Status

The reported situation remains unverified as the Jerusalem Post has not confirmed the details from Feldman. Virgin Atlantic has yet to release a public comment regarding the incident.

This story was first published on jpost.com.