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| Muslim woman Tahera Ahmed refused unopened Diet Coke on United Airline flight because it could be used as a 'weapon' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Muslim woman has alleged she was the victim of Islamophobia on a United Airlines flight when she was denied an unopened can of Diet Coke because it could be used as a “weapon”. | A Muslim woman has alleged she was the victim of Islamophobia on a United Airlines flight when she was denied an unopened can of Diet Coke because it could be used as a “weapon”. |
| Tahera Ahmad, a chaplain at Chicago’s Northwestern University, requested a can of unopened Diet Coke for “hygiene reasons” but was refused because of apparent security concerns. | Tahera Ahmad, a chaplain at Chicago’s Northwestern University, requested a can of unopened Diet Coke for “hygiene reasons” but was refused because of apparent security concerns. |
| But moments later a man sitting next to her was given an unopened can of beer. | But moments later a man sitting next to her was given an unopened can of beer. |
| Ms Ahmad made the claims in a post on her Facebook page, which immediately went viral. It has been shared by almost 7,000 people. | Ms Ahmad made the claims in a post on her Facebook page, which immediately went viral. It has been shared by almost 7,000 people. |
| I mean really @united? Unacceptable. #unitedfortahera pic.twitter.com/iX2PAaOYpF | I mean really @united? Unacceptable. #unitedfortahera pic.twitter.com/iX2PAaOYpF |
| I will not book any more tkt on United #unitedfortahera | I will not book any more tkt on United #unitedfortahera |
| Stay classy @united. Not setting foot in your flights until apology & staff get sensitivity training #unitedfortahera pic.twitter.com/zfaXUCsghy | Stay classy @united. Not setting foot in your flights until apology & staff get sensitivity training #unitedfortahera pic.twitter.com/zfaXUCsghy |
| if you fly @united, please read up on #unitedfortahera & this incredibly hateful incident against a muslim scholar. pic.twitter.com/mG75ffBUBk | if you fly @united, please read up on #unitedfortahera & this incredibly hateful incident against a muslim scholar. pic.twitter.com/mG75ffBUBk |
| “I told her [the air steward] she was clearly discriminating against me,” Ms Ahmad wrote, who was told “it's so you don't use it as a weapon”. | “I told her [the air steward] she was clearly discriminating against me,” Ms Ahmad wrote, who was told “it's so you don't use it as a weapon”. |
| The university chaplain also alleges a fellow passenger screamed at her, “you Moslem, you need to shut the f*** up”. | The university chaplain also alleges a fellow passenger screamed at her, “you Moslem, you need to shut the f*** up”. |
| She ended her post with the hashtag #Islamphobiaisreal. | She ended her post with the hashtag #Islamphobiaisreal. |
| Many took to Twitter and other social media sites to show solidarity with Ms Ahmad and threatened to boycott the airline. | Many took to Twitter and other social media sites to show solidarity with Ms Ahmad and threatened to boycott the airline. |
| In a statement a spokesman for United Airlines said: “The flight attendant on board Shuttle America flight 3504 attempted several times to accommodate Ms Ahmad's beverage request after a misunderstanding regarding a can of diet soda. | In a statement a spokesman for United Airlines said: “The flight attendant on board Shuttle America flight 3504 attempted several times to accommodate Ms Ahmad's beverage request after a misunderstanding regarding a can of diet soda. |
| “The inflight crew met with Ms Ahmad after the flight arrived in Washington to provide assistance and further discuss the matter. | “The inflight crew met with Ms Ahmad after the flight arrived in Washington to provide assistance and further discuss the matter. |
| "Additionally, we spoke with Ms Ahmad this afternoon to get a better understanding of what occurred and to apologise for not delivering the service our customers expect when travelling with us. | "Additionally, we spoke with Ms Ahmad this afternoon to get a better understanding of what occurred and to apologise for not delivering the service our customers expect when travelling with us. |
| “We look forward to having the opportunity to welcome Ms Ahmad back,” he added. | “We look forward to having the opportunity to welcome Ms Ahmad back,” he added. |
| Brushing things under the carpet won't do you any good @united. @TaheraHAhmad #unitedfortahera pic.twitter.com/Y5sYJhWSnH | Brushing things under the carpet won't do you any good @united. @TaheraHAhmad #unitedfortahera pic.twitter.com/Y5sYJhWSnH |
| But Ms Ahmad remained unimpressed and in a new post lambasted the airline for trivialising her experience. | But Ms Ahmad remained unimpressed and in a new post lambasted the airline for trivialising her experience. |
| “It is ridiculing to my integrity to dismiss the discriminatory behaviour towards me. I have dedicated my life to peace, in fact I was on this United flight to promote social justice activism,” she wrote. | “It is ridiculing to my integrity to dismiss the discriminatory behaviour towards me. I have dedicated my life to peace, in fact I was on this United flight to promote social justice activism,” she wrote. |
| “It is truly disheartening when the discrimination of Americans as myself who are working hard every day to promote dialogue and understanding is disregarded and trivialised,” she added. | “It is truly disheartening when the discrimination of Americans as myself who are working hard every day to promote dialogue and understanding is disregarded and trivialised,” she added. |