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Vueling Airline Removes Jewish Campers from Flight, Chaperone Arrested

A group of 52 Jewish campers from the Kinneret Club was removed from a Vueling flight at Manises Airport in Valencia, Spain, and their camp director was arrested following what the airline described as “highly disruptive” behavior. The incident occurred as the campers, aged 10 to 15, were returning to Paris after attending a summer camp in Calella, Spain. According to reports, the airline’s crew became concerned after one camper spoke in Hebrew.

A camper, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted that tension escalated when a crew member warned a teenager to refrain from speaking loudly in Hebrew. “They threatened to call security if he spoke loudly again,” the camper told CNews. Shortly after, members of the Civil Guard boarded the aircraft and spoke with the group leader, who confirmed that the campers were French. The situation intensified when a child sang a song in Hebrew, prompting an airline staff member to suggest calling the police.

In a separate account, Karine Lamy, a mother of one of the campers, revealed to i24 News that the police were eventually summoned to the scene. Lamy expressed disbelief that the situation escalated, stating, “This feels like a scene from another era. They were targeted simply for expressing their culture.”

Witnesses on the flight described the campers as well-behaved and polite. One passenger, Damien, noted that the children “entered the plane without shouting” and questioned why security was called, as no one appeared dangerous. “The children were very polite. We never understood what happened,” he said.

Video footage shared on social media depicted the camp director, a 21-year-old woman, being forcefully restrained and handcuffed by Civil Guard officers. According to the camp director’s family, she objected to the police allegedly confiscating campers’ phones to delete recordings of the events. Following her refusal to comply, she was taken into a separate room, where it was reportedly communicated that she would be banned from entering Spain for two years.

Vueling issued a statement defending its actions, stating that the group had “mishandled emergency equipment and actively disrupted the mandatory safety demonstration.” The airline denied any connection between its decision to remove the campers and their religious identity. “A group of passengers engaged in highly disruptive behavior and adopted a very confrontational attitude, putting at risk the safe conduct of the flight,” the airline’s statement read.

Despite Vueling’s assertions, other passengers voiced support for the campers. An Instagram user, identified as dusan.dmh, claimed that the children “behaved well for teenagers” and suggested that the police were called due to a perceived safety issue rather than any actual disruption.

The incident raised concerns about cultural sensitivity and the treatment of minority groups. Lamy’s remarks reflect a deeper societal issue, emphasizing the need for understanding and tolerance in multicultural environments. “This was an expression of our culture,” she said, echoing sentiments of the campers who were left traumatized by the experience.

Vueling Airlines, a low-cost carrier based in Spain, is part of the International Airlines Group, which also owns British Airways and Aer Lingus. The airline is currently facing scrutiny over its handling of the situation, as the incident highlights the challenges of ensuring passenger safety while respecting diverse cultural expressions.

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