Fireman Sam, blue touchpaper:
26 February 2012, 10:50 AM
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Fireman Sam, blue touchpaper:
A retired fireman, and creator of the popular children's character, Fireman Sam, was detained at an airport for questioning why a veiled woman was not checked by security.
As David Jones arrived at the security gates at Gatwick airport, he was looking forward to getting through swiftly so he could enjoy lunch with his daughters before their flight.
Placing his belongings, including a scarf, into a tray to pass through the X-ray scanner he spotted a Muslim woman in hijab pass through the area without showing her face.
In a light-hearted aside to a security official who had been assisting him, he said: “If I was wearing this scarf over my face, I wonder what would happen.”
The quip proved to be a mistake. After passing through the gates, he was confronted by staff and accused of racism.
As his daughters, who had passed through security, waited in the departure lounge wondering where he was, he was subjected to a one hour stand-off as officials tried to force him to apologise.
Mr Jones, 67, who is the creator of the popular children’s character Fireman Sam, said: “Something like George Orwell’s 1984 now seems to have arrived in Gatwick airport.
"I feel that my rights as an individual have been violated. What I underwent amounts to intimidation and detention. I was humiliated and degraded in full public view.
"I am a 67-year-old pensioner and have lived my life within the law. I do not have even one point on my driving licence.”
He said that when he made his initial remark the security guard had appeared to agree with him, saying: “I know what you mean, but we have our rules, and you aren’t allowed to say that.”
As he went through the metal detecting arch, his artificial hip set off the alarm, prompting a full search from a guard. It was after this, and as he prepared to rejoin his two grown-up daughters, that he was confronted by another guard who said he was being detained because he had made an offensive remark.
“I repeated to her what I had said and told her that I had said nothing racist,” he said. “She took my passport and boarding pass and I was then escorted back through the security zone into the outer area. Here the female security guard proceeded to question me further, inferring many things that I had not said.
“It was impossible to get her to listen to reason. We were then joined by a second female security guard who stated that she was Muslim and was deeply distressed by my comment.
“I again stated that I had not made a racist remark but purely an observation that we were in a maximum security situation being searched thoroughly whilst a woman with her face covered walked through. I made no reference to race or religion. I did not swear or raise my voice.”
According to Mr Jones, who was due to board a British Airways flight to Portugal, where he now lives and runs a restaurant on the Algarve, the British Airways duty manager was then called in and sided with the security staff.
He continued: “I had now been detained for some time and my daughters were worried, calling me on my phone asking what was happening. We were going around in circles. I maintained that I had said nothing offensive and the security guard was continuing to accuse me. This had taken about 15-20 minutes and looked as though it was not going to be resolved.
“I asked the security guard if she was going to charge me to which she said no but I could not leave until I had apologised to the Muslim guard.
“At this point I asked for the attendance of a police officer. After some time he arrived but it was also plainly evident that he was keeping to the politically correct code. I told him that if there was a case then he should arrest me.
“I was told that we now live in a different time and some things are not to be said. They decided again that I would only be allowed to continue on my journey if I were to apologise to the Muslim guard. My reply was that as I had not made a racist remark it would be impossible for me to apologise.”
Mr Jones, a former member of the Household Cavalry and retired fireman, added: “I felt that I made a logical observation. That while everyone was being subjected to an invasive search it was illogical that someone should be let through with their face covered. I am not opposed to having this level of security but it must be equal for all.”
Eventually, Mr Jones said, the BA manager suggested that he should agree that what he had said “could” be considered offensive by a Muslim guard.
With his flight departure time now fast approaching Mr Jones agreed to the compromise. Escorted by the police officer, he was taken through security where he was again subjected to a full search after his hip replacement set off the metal detector alarms.
Mr Jones said he intended to complain formally to the Gatwick airport authorities and British Airways about the incident last Sunday.
Department for Transport rules do not prevent people covering their faces at UK airports for religious reasons.
However, all passengers must show their faces to UK Borders officials when they pass through passport control. Muslim women who wear hijabs can request that their identity is checked by a female immigration officer and they can also ask that they be taken to a private room before they remove their head wear.
A spokesman for Gatwick airport said: “The security team are examining the incident to ensure that the issue was managed in the right way.
"They are talking to the people involved to understand what the issue was and how it came to have the police involved.”
As David Jones arrived at the security gates at Gatwick airport, he was looking forward to getting through swiftly so he could enjoy lunch with his daughters before their flight.
Placing his belongings, including a scarf, into a tray to pass through the X-ray scanner he spotted a Muslim woman in hijab pass through the area without showing her face.
In a light-hearted aside to a security official who had been assisting him, he said: “If I was wearing this scarf over my face, I wonder what would happen.”
The quip proved to be a mistake. After passing through the gates, he was confronted by staff and accused of racism.
As his daughters, who had passed through security, waited in the departure lounge wondering where he was, he was subjected to a one hour stand-off as officials tried to force him to apologise.
Mr Jones, 67, who is the creator of the popular children’s character Fireman Sam, said: “Something like George Orwell’s 1984 now seems to have arrived in Gatwick airport.
"I feel that my rights as an individual have been violated. What I underwent amounts to intimidation and detention. I was humiliated and degraded in full public view.
"I am a 67-year-old pensioner and have lived my life within the law. I do not have even one point on my driving licence.”
He said that when he made his initial remark the security guard had appeared to agree with him, saying: “I know what you mean, but we have our rules, and you aren’t allowed to say that.”
As he went through the metal detecting arch, his artificial hip set off the alarm, prompting a full search from a guard. It was after this, and as he prepared to rejoin his two grown-up daughters, that he was confronted by another guard who said he was being detained because he had made an offensive remark.
“I repeated to her what I had said and told her that I had said nothing racist,” he said. “She took my passport and boarding pass and I was then escorted back through the security zone into the outer area. Here the female security guard proceeded to question me further, inferring many things that I had not said.
“It was impossible to get her to listen to reason. We were then joined by a second female security guard who stated that she was Muslim and was deeply distressed by my comment.
“I again stated that I had not made a racist remark but purely an observation that we were in a maximum security situation being searched thoroughly whilst a woman with her face covered walked through. I made no reference to race or religion. I did not swear or raise my voice.”
According to Mr Jones, who was due to board a British Airways flight to Portugal, where he now lives and runs a restaurant on the Algarve, the British Airways duty manager was then called in and sided with the security staff.
He continued: “I had now been detained for some time and my daughters were worried, calling me on my phone asking what was happening. We were going around in circles. I maintained that I had said nothing offensive and the security guard was continuing to accuse me. This had taken about 15-20 minutes and looked as though it was not going to be resolved.
“I asked the security guard if she was going to charge me to which she said no but I could not leave until I had apologised to the Muslim guard.
“At this point I asked for the attendance of a police officer. After some time he arrived but it was also plainly evident that he was keeping to the politically correct code. I told him that if there was a case then he should arrest me.
“I was told that we now live in a different time and some things are not to be said. They decided again that I would only be allowed to continue on my journey if I were to apologise to the Muslim guard. My reply was that as I had not made a racist remark it would be impossible for me to apologise.”
Mr Jones, a former member of the Household Cavalry and retired fireman, added: “I felt that I made a logical observation. That while everyone was being subjected to an invasive search it was illogical that someone should be let through with their face covered. I am not opposed to having this level of security but it must be equal for all.”
Eventually, Mr Jones said, the BA manager suggested that he should agree that what he had said “could” be considered offensive by a Muslim guard.
With his flight departure time now fast approaching Mr Jones agreed to the compromise. Escorted by the police officer, he was taken through security where he was again subjected to a full search after his hip replacement set off the metal detector alarms.
Mr Jones said he intended to complain formally to the Gatwick airport authorities and British Airways about the incident last Sunday.
Department for Transport rules do not prevent people covering their faces at UK airports for religious reasons.
However, all passengers must show their faces to UK Borders officials when they pass through passport control. Muslim women who wear hijabs can request that their identity is checked by a female immigration officer and they can also ask that they be taken to a private room before they remove their head wear.
A spokesman for Gatwick airport said: “The security team are examining the incident to ensure that the issue was managed in the right way.
"They are talking to the people involved to understand what the issue was and how it came to have the police involved.”
26 February 2012, 11:04 AM
#2
FFS! This "PC" bulls**t is really starting to wind me up.
We were then joined by a second female security guard who stated that she was Muslim and was deeply distressed by my comment.
26 February 2012, 11:13 AM
#3
I see their point .. I mean, imagine you had been wearing red trousers and security stopped you and someone with blue trousers had not been stopped, can you imagine how upsetting it would be for the person in blue trousers if you'd said "would I have been ok in blue trousers?"
Sickening that someone would question anything .. anywhere ..
Sickening that someone would question anything .. anywhere ..
26 February 2012, 11:21 AM
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I read about this and believe he was subject to team-Islam bullying masquerading as 'justifiable offense' and political-correctness.
I have wondered about this before having been ordered to remove my hat at passport control and security whilst people in Burkas just go though.
I did not realise how veiled travelers had to have their faces viewed in a private room. It is good to know this, perhaps if the authorities let this be known then it would reassure travelers such as David Jones....that is the whole point of airport security surely? To just reassure?
I have wondered about this before having been ordered to remove my hat at passport control and security whilst people in Burkas just go though.
I did not realise how veiled travelers had to have their faces viewed in a private room. It is good to know this, perhaps if the authorities let this be known then it would reassure travelers such as David Jones....that is the whole point of airport security surely? To just reassure?
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26 February 2012, 12:15 PM
#8
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Funny this should come up,my dad was on about this yesterday when he was talking about passport being renewed.
He said maybe i should cover my face up with a Balaclava and send the pic off,
cracked me up
He said maybe i should cover my face up with a Balaclava and send the pic off,
cracked me up
Last edited by DYK; 26 February 2012 at 12:16 PM.
26 February 2012, 12:40 PM
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A good way of making a point would be to hand out lots of hijabs at the airport and get all passengers to wear them. See what airport security think about that
26 February 2012, 12:42 PM
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26 February 2012, 03:55 PM
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its deployment of power from fear instilled into the workers though.
its them on the line if a complaint is made - and no-one wants to loose there job.
i also didnt know people wearing masks had to go into a private room to reveal themselves, and tbh i dont have an issue with that - its a fair compromise from both parties imo.
i whole heartedley agree though, in this situation its an absolute joke - there was no offencive comment made so whats the apology for? an observation???
are we ever likely to see the return of some kind of common sense on these shores?
its them on the line if a complaint is made - and no-one wants to loose there job.
i also didnt know people wearing masks had to go into a private room to reveal themselves, and tbh i dont have an issue with that - its a fair compromise from both parties imo.
i whole heartedley agree though, in this situation its an absolute joke - there was no offencive comment made so whats the apology for? an observation???
are we ever likely to see the return of some kind of common sense on these shores?
26 February 2012, 04:42 PM
#16
I think will's application for security guard at Gatwick has just slipped down the pile 
Bunch of ****ing PC nonsense, the quicker this country recognises the fact that it is annoying the hell out of the majority all this pampering to the minorities, the better it will be. Never going to happen but it would be nice to dream
Bunch of ****ing PC nonsense, the quicker this country recognises the fact that it is annoying the hell out of the majority all this pampering to the minorities, the better it will be. Never going to happen but it would be nice to dream
26 February 2012, 04:43 PM
#17
how could his coment be racist , muslim is a religeon not a race . therefore he was being religeonistic if that word exists lmfao . for all those daft ***** know that could of been a bloke under that darlek outfit , thats the worrying thing about them , they should at least be made to show thier face to a female guard
26 February 2012, 04:46 PM
#18
how could his coment be racist , muslim is a religeon not a race . therefore he was being religeonistic if that word exists lmfao . for all those daft ***** know that could of been a bloke under that darlek outfit , thats the worrying thing about them , they should at least be made to show thier face to a female guard
but he didn't say anything about the persons religion, he made no comment or suggestion to imply he had any issues with them, he just noticed someone walk through covering their face and asked if he would be able to do it ..
26 February 2012, 04:56 PM
#19
exactly but they (the female guards) accused him of making a racist comment . which it wasn't it was only a observation. at worst it was a religeonist comment if such a thing exists . THOUGHT POLICE SPRINGS TO MIND , a old mate of mine was arrested once for thinking ,he said to a copper if i call you a c u n t you will arrest me won't you , the copper replies yes . mate says but you can't arrest me for thinking can you . copper replies no . mate says GOOD I THINK YOUR A C U N T , he got arrested needless to say
26 February 2012, 05:08 PM
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exactly but they (the female guards) accused him of making a racist comment . which it wasn't it was only a observation. at worst it was a religeonist comment if such a thing exists . THOUGHT POLICE SPRINGS TO MIND , a old mate of mine was arrested once for thinking ,he said to a copper if i call you a c u n t you will arrest me won't you , the copper replies yes . mate says but you can't arrest me for thinking can you . copper replies no . mate says GOOD I THINK YOUR A C U N T , he got arrested needless to say
It's the most efficient way to go on the offensive under cover of victim-hood.
The guy was white, middle aged, so automatically a racist.
26 February 2012, 06:45 PM
#24
exactly but they (the female guards) accused him of making a racist comment . which it wasn't it was only a observation. at worst it was a religeonist comment if such a thing exists . THOUGHT POLICE SPRINGS TO MIND , a old mate of mine was arrested once for thinking ,he said to a copper if i call you a c u n t you will arrest me won't you , the copper replies yes . mate says but you can't arrest me for thinking can you . copper replies no . mate says GOOD I THINK YOUR A C U N T , he got arrested needless to say
Surely the perception of racism from an innocent comment makes the audience racist ?
26 February 2012, 06:58 PM
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26 February 2012, 11:01 PM
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a old mate of mine was arrested once for thinking ,he said to a copper if i call you a c u n t you will arrest me won't you , the copper replies yes . mate says but you can't arrest me for thinking can you . copper replies no . mate says GOOD I THINK YOUR A C U N T , he got arrested needless to say
Swearing at a cop was only gonna end up with one thing happening really now wasn't it?
Personally I wouldv'e been asking what legal powers they have to detain me and question me in this manner.
His comments were'nt the slighestest racist and someone needs to look up the phrase common sense in the dictonary
27 February 2012, 06:37 PM
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The news is now saying don't make jokes or jibs when passing through customs ?
Has the world gone mad ? If he feels grieved then he and everyone has a right to say something.
We as a nation are becoming a real push over ........ Am I allowed to say that ?
Has the world gone mad ? If he feels grieved then he and everyone has a right to say something.
We as a nation are becoming a real push over ........ Am I allowed to say that ?
27 February 2012, 06:54 PM
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TBH none of the customs people have a sense of humour, and some clearly do have the power trip mentality.
I feel the comment is justified considered it was in the news last week in regards to the UK border been split up due to 100 of thousands let into the country without appropiate checks.
Obviously cant comment about observations these days.
Richard
I feel the comment is justified considered it was in the news last week in regards to the UK border been split up due to 100 of thousands let into the country without appropiate checks.
Obviously cant comment about observations these days.
Richard
