Originally Posted by
studentff
Technicality, but I think "interference with the screening process" is a civil (or maybe administrative) offense that can only be judged in a Coast-Guard kangaroo court, not a criminal court, and can carry no penalty worse than a fine. I don't think it is a crime that can result in arrest.
It could, however, create a situation in which the passenger is requested to leave the checkpoint ... and if they refuse to do so, then become liable to a charge of trespassing.
Originally Posted by
studentff
That explains why passengers who are arrested by LEOs at the direction of TSA (e.g., Phil Mocek, Andrea Abbott) are charged with disorderly conduct and/or other contempt-of-cop charges. In most of these cases, it seems the TSA and/or LEOs work together to egg on the passenger and elicit a response that can be used to justify an arrest. That's certainly what both the Mocek recordings and Abbott video indicate to me.
That works, too.