So a radio station can play the song, but you can’t sing along with it when you do without getting investigated. The West is becoming what we once fought against.
Man Held As Terrorism Suspect Over Punk Song
LONDON (Reuters) – British anti-terrorism detectives escorted a man from a plane after a taxi driver had earlier become suspicious when he started singing along to a track by punk band The Clash, police said Wednesday.
Detectives halted the London-bound flight at Durham Tees Valley Airport in northern England and Harraj Mann, 24, was taken off.
The taxi driver had become worried on the way to the airport because Mann had been singing along to The Clash’s 1979 anthem “London Calling,” which features the lyrics “Now war is declared — and battle come down” while other lines warn of a “meltdown expected.”
Mann told British newspapers the taxi had been fitted with a music system which allowed him to plug in his MP3 player and he had been playing The Clash, Procol Harum, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles to the driver.
“He didn’t like Led Zeppelin or The Clash but I don’t think there was any need to tell the police,” Mann told the Daily Mirror.
A Durham police spokeswoman said Mann had been released after questioning — but had missed his flight.
“The report was made with the best of intentions and we wouldn’t want to discourage people from contacting us with genuine concerns,” she said.
This never would have happened in the US. Over here he would have been beaten to near death then “accidentally” shot. Then they would have blamed the entire thing on a pre-existing heart condition.
Whatever – If it happend in the US, the taxi driver wouldn’t have understood the lyrics, since they’re in english. Besides, it would have probably been the fare reporting the driver, not the other way around.
How’s that for stereotyping?
OMG! I just listened to that whole album just yesterday! And I too was singing along….should I be worried? Do I need to get a lawyer?
I’m scared now.
If he was a threat, then how did he make it onto the plane? Are there that many stupid people out there?
This is an unfortunate thing to happen. It could happen in the US because of the Homeland Security Terrorist Act.
I have one serious concern: After the man missed his flight due to the police involvement, did the police offer to pay for any incnvience to the man? I have always felt that if police make a mistake and it costs the individual money and time (if the suspect was not guilty) the police have a moral obligation to pay the person for their inconvenience. It would help to curtail injustices acroos the nation. In reality it would probably promote false imprisonment and death…Police officers must always save face…never admint to being in the wrong.
LOL…….don’t get out much huh Mr. Fusion???
Joshua
My wife says I have a point, but if I comb my hair differently, no one will notice.
*
But seriously, the story says he was pulled off the plane for questioning. So how did he get on the plane if he was a security threat? The cab driver knew that he was singing along with the music. When he told security, if he didn’t tell them the passenger was singing along to music then he is making a false report. If he did tell security, then they over reacted.
Then to top off the stupidity, the Police said they don’t want to discourage the public reporting (genuine) security concerns. Well here is a (genuine) security concern. The officers running the security at Durham Tees Valley Airport are sadly deficient in brain power.
Yeah, how ever could anyone get onto a plane as a security threat? No one ever has been able to do that for any terrorist activity. Oh wait… thats right, the problem is that they can get onto the planes.
You can buy a ceramic glock, wont set off the detectors or nothin. Much better than nail clippers. I bet C4 isn’t metallic enough to set em off either. Oh yeah, a lot of things aren’t metallic at all and are quite dangerous. A ball of C4 in your pocket and an iPod in your carry on. Thats explosives and an electrical charge to detonate it with.
Knowing is half the battle…
Here’s the dirty (no so) secret that most Americans don’t want to admit: more than a few prisoners in Guantanamo and Abu Gharib were imprisoned on ridiculous crap, just like this story.
Then they were tortured to revealed crimes they never did. Now those innocent men and their families are radical enemies of America.