A pro-Trump activist was kicked off a flight for refusing to wear a mask.
Brandon Straka, the founder of the social media campaign #WalkAway in 2018, was removed from an American Airlines flight traveling from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday after declining to wear a mask despite being asked by the flight attendants to do so.
“Sir, are you wishing not to wear a mask today?” a flight attendant asked Straka, according to a video that was recorded by a New York Times reporter who happened to be on the same flight.
“I would prefer not to,” he replied before later adding, “You’re asking me to do something that’s not a law.”
The flight attendant responded by explaining that the request is part of a “procedure American Airlines follows,” which is available on the airlines’ website.
During the back-and-forth, Straka claimed to have a medical condition that would prevent him from wearing a mask. However, he refused to elaborate on said illness when pressed for details.
New York Times reporter Astead Herndon was on the flight and shared a video to Twitter which captured some of the audio of the incident.
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) June 17, 2020
After being removed, he tweeted, “I was just removed from my flight for not wearing a mask. 1st time this has happened. Not a federal law. @AmericanAir staff standing over me telling me it’s THE LAW. So much for ‘please respect those who can not wear a mask’. When I pointed out this wasn’t a law I was removed.”
A spokesperson for American Airlines told Mediaite that Straka failed to comply with “instructions provided by the flight crew.”
“Prior to the departure from the gate of American Airlines flight 1263 from New York’s LaGuardia to Dallas/Fort Worth, Brandon Straka declined to wear a face covering. After he refused to comply with the instructions provided by the flight crew, our team members asked him to deplane. He deplaned, and the flight departed the gate four minutes late at 12:34 p.m. ET,” the spokesperson continued. “Mr. Straka stated to our airport team members that he would comply with our policies, and was rebooked on a later flight.”
According to the #WalkAway campaign website, Straka founded it in 2018, and the movement “encourages and supports those on the Left to walk away from the divisive tenets endorsed and mandated by the Democratic Party of today.” The website also has a store that sells masks for $20.
