It's quite common to see people being asked to do this if they have passed an item of hand baggage through the xray mc with several chargers, cables etc. I tend to just take out my laptop and leave the rest but at the end of the day, there is no point arguing with the security staff as there is only one winner in that situation. The gate staff on the lunchtime flight to Moscow where particularly fussy yesterday, even removing a toothbrush (non an electric one) from a womens handbag! She ended up snapping it in half!!