Swedish Student Stands Up on Plane and Blocks Deportation

Swedish student and activist Elin Errson made headlines earlier this week when she refused to take her seat on a Turkish Airlines flight from Gothenburg in order to halt the deportation of an Afghan man. The Facebook live video she recorded of her stand-off has been viewed nearly 4 million times since Monday, with many calling her a hero for her actions.

On Monday, July 23, 2018, Elin Errson boarded a Turkish Airlines flight with the purpose of stopping a deportation. The 21-year-old student is part of an activist group that had previously learned Swedish officials were planning to deport a 26-year-old Afghan man to Kabul that day. Errson promptly bought a ticket for the same flight. Once she arrived, she found out that this particular man was not on board, but that an older Afghan deportee was.

Errson remained in the aisle, citing the rule that aircrafts cannot take off until all passengers are seated, and asked that the man be allowed off the plane.

In the Facebook live video she recorded and shared, which can be viewed on Digg, she is heard explaining her reasoning to her fellow passengers: “I am doing what I can to save a person’s life. As long as a person is standing up, the pilot cannot take off. All I want to do is stop the deportation, and then I will comply with the rules here. This is all perfectly legal, and I have not committed a crime.”

Though she grew emotional as some passengers scolded her for holding up the flight, Errson stood her ground. Later in the video, she notes support from other passengers, including some who joined her in standing up and delaying the flight.

Officials eventually removed the Afghan man from the plane, at which point Errson de-planed as well. Officials have not stated whether or not the man was later deported on a different flight.

[Photo: Shutterstock]