What was supposed to be a routine flight from Mexico to Texas turned into a humiliating and painful experience for a 20-year-old Orthodox Jewish man who says he was dragged from the airplane bathroom mid-use, had his pants down in front of other passengers, and was arrested — all for being constipated, as The New York Post reported.
Yisroel Liebb is suing United Airlines, along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security, and the TSA, after a disturbing chain of events that took place just 30 minutes into his flight.
According to the lawsuit, Liebb had gotten up to use the lavatory but hadn’t returned to his seat after 20 minutes. His seatmate, Jacob Sebbag, flagged a flight attendant out of concern.
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Instead of handling it with patience or common sense, things escalated fast.
Liebb reportedly told the crew he was dealing with constipation and needed a little more time. But 10 minutes later, the pilot got involved — and not in a way anyone would expect from someone entrusted with the safety of hundreds of people.
Rather than waiting a few more minutes, the pilot allegedly broke down the bathroom door himself, physically yanked Liebb out while his pants were still down, and exposed him to a cabin full of stunned passengers.
And if that wasn’t bad enough, the pilot allegedly said it was “how Jews act,” according to the filing.
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After the plane landed, five border agents stormed the aircraft, handcuffed both Liebb and Sebbag, and dragged them to a detention center in the terminal.
The lawsuit says Liebb cried out in pain from the tight handcuffs and was left with wrist injuries, as well as trauma from being pulled out of the bathroom so violently that he hit his head and legs.
Neither man was ever charged with anything. But the damage was already done. They missed their connecting flight to New York and had to shell out their own cash for food and a hotel, even though they were rebooked for free the following day.
The two men are now seeking damages for physical injuries, emotional distress, and the extra costs they incurred. So far, United Airlines hasn’t offered a response beyond the usual corporate brush-off: They don’t “have anything to share.”
Maybe the airline industry should spend less time lecturing Americans about pronouns and more time making sure their pilots don’t act like unhinged bouncers at 30,000 feet.
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