Palestinian American Nearly Removed From United Flight After Supporting Palestine
July 15, 2026
“Bombing children is not self-defense.”
That was the message on a Wear The Peace T-shirt worn by a Palestinian American man from New Jersey.
According to the passenger, United Airlines staff ordered him to change his shirt or be removed from the flight before he could travel home.
The shirt did not contain threats or violent language. It simply read: “Bombing children is not self-defense.” Yet that message was reportedly considered unacceptable.
Why is a shirt calling for the protection of children treated as controversial, while clothing displaying military symbols often passes without objection?
It’s about who is allowed to speak, whose pain is considered acceptable, and whose voices are silenced when they express solidarity with Palestinians.
Around the world, people continue to face backlash for wearing a keffiyeh, carrying a Palestinian flag, or speaking out against the killing of civilians.
Condemning the bombing of children should never be mistaken for promoting violence.
The hypocrisy is deafening.
Source: @wearthepeace
🇵🇸 #FreePalestine #UnitedAirlines #Palestine #fyp #stopkillingchildren
English Script:
News Anchor: A New Jersey man says United Airlines asked him to change his t-shirt or he wasn’t able to fly home. Now, he tells Andrew Ramos he’s looking into possible legal action.
Sam Saada: I was very confused and the guy asked me to get off the plane.
Andrew Ramos: A t-shirt, Sam Saada says advocates for children nearly got him kicked off a flight home last month. The Linden man was on a United flight traveling from Atlanta back to Newark on June 4th while wearing this t shirt, which says bombing kids is not self-defense. He says a supervisor pulled him off the plane just after boarding.
Sam Saada: He was like, hey, the flight attendant finds your shirt offensive. And I was like, I was like, why? These are your other choices. Either you change your shirt or you can’t get on this flight.
Andrew Ramos: Both upset and humiliated, Saada says he opted to change, but he claims he couldn’t get specific answers. Even when he landed in Newark, where he spoke to airline personnel.
Sam Saada: She kept saying, like, you can see the shirts offensive. I was like, I can’t see how the shirt is offensive. She’s like, it’s 2026. I was like, I know what year it is.
Andrew Ramos: For Saada, who is of Palestinian descent, the t shirt holds a deeper meaning, according to a recent United Nations report, more than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza by Israel and what has been described as targeted attacks. The Israeli government has rejected the report and has denied deliberately targeting civilians.
Sam Saada: Do you believe kids should be bombed? or shouldn’t be bombed? Like what are you offended by?
Andrew Ramos: A United spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News New York, this customer flew as scheduled after changing his shirt, as per the airline’s rules posted on its website. United has the right to deny transport to passengers not properly clothed or whose clothing is lewd, obscene or offensive. Saada says he’s consulting with lawyers.
Sam Saada: At the end of the day, it’s this shirt to me is very clear that I think bombing kids is wrong. Regardless if you’re Palestinian or if you’re from Mobile, Alabama.
Andrew Ramos: Now, Saada says he has filed an official complaint about the incident to the U.S. Department of Transportation. And when it comes to the t-shirt at the center of this debate, he says he will continue to wear it. Reporting in Linden, Andrew Ramos, CBS news, New York.
