The security officer was wearing a badge and bracelet displaying his apparent support of Palestine, apparently breaching uniform policy
September 1, 2025 16:02
A Jewish-Israeli family have been left shaken and distressed after allegedly being "singled out" by security staff at Luton Airport, where they said they were all subject to additional security checks, including an eight-year-old boy, a five-year-old girl and even a baby.
The family, who asked to remain anonymous, had been holidaying in the UK, which they have done annually for 14 years, when they went through security at Luton before their return flight last month.
It was here, they said, that a security guard sporting pro-Palestine paraphernalia forced them to go through multiple checks. They claim they were subjected to these additional checks because they were visibly Jewish or Israeli – the father and his eldest son were both wearing kippot.
"We were going through [security] and we did everything by the book. We were going through one-by-one exactly as security told us," the mother told the JC.
The security guard who performed the additional checks had a Palestinian flag phone case as well as jewellery, something the family believes was purposefully left on full display: "Everybody could see the flag on the back of his phone. He had a bracelet on his wrist and a badge on his uniform."
Recalling the checks, the mother said: "We did exactly what they told us to do. I wasn't loud. I did everything they told me. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Nothing would have been the cause for the extra checks.
"It was like we were criminals that needed extra checking."
"The security worker was singling out the Jewish-Israeli family, thinking 'Lets give them a hard time' just because they could."
She continued: "For 14 years we have traveled to the UK and we have never had an experience like this.
"Eighty years ago, Jewish people had this exact experience. They were checked and checked again. We felt like targets. We didn't deserve this.
"We came back [home] with such a bitter taste. It gave us a bitter reminder that you can't escape anywhere. Everywhere you go you get singled out because of who you are."
The family said they said they would "hesitate" now to come back to the UK, despite numerous visits in the past, as a result of the incident.
Commenting on the incident, pro-Israel lobby group UK Lawyers for Israel said: “If the security guard covers himself in pro-Palestine symbols and then targets Israelis for special searches, the Israelis are liable to fear they are being singled out for special treatment.
"It is obviously inappropriate for security staff to display their political affiliations. We hope that Luton will clarify its dress code and suitably reprimand staff who breach it.”
Responding to a complaint lodged by the family, Luton Airport told them: “We have addressed the points you have raised, and taken appropriate action, including reminding all staff of our uniform policy, which only permits the wearing of officially issued badges.”
Luton Airport said in a statement: “We are sorry to hear of any distress experienced by the family and take every concern about discrimination extremely seriously.
"Our teams are committed to carrying out all mandatory security checks with sensitivity and respect and we have zero tolerance for discriminatory behaviour, with a clear and consistent uniform policy for all staff.
“For the safety and security of all our passengers and staff, additional screening is sometimes required, for example, when indicated by the body scanner.
"We have carefully reviewed this case, and we are satisfied the family were searched in accordance with our regulated security procedures.”
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