Frankfurt/Main (ots) - On January 11, 2018, an X-ray machine at a security checkpoint at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) indicated that the hand luggage of a U.S. passenger might contain explosive material. As required by law, the passenger screening agent called the German Federal Police for further aviation security procedures.
After completing the required manual check of the hand luggage, the police officers determined that the luggage did not contain any explosive material. However, the 49-year old passenger loosely transported several cosmetic articles in her hand luggage. The cosmetic articles were not packed in a transparent plastic bag, as required by EU and international regulations, and also exceeded the permitted allowance for liquids. As a solution, the officers suggested that the passenger store a roll-on deodorant item in her check-in luggage instead of her carry-on luggage - to remain within the allowance for liquids. Alternatively, she could voluntarily decide not to transport the deodorant and dispose of it on site.
The U.S. passenger reacted angrily towards these suggestions and became increasingly uncooperative. She began to insult the Federal Police officers, by calling them, among other names, "fucking bastards" and "fucking German Nazi police", as witnesses can confirm.
She was then brought to the police office, where the local State Police started a preliminary investigation on suspicion of defamation. She had to make a deposit of $260 for the anticipated costs of the legal proceedings, as determined by the responsible public prosecutor. After payment of the deposit, the passenger was told that she could continue on her trip to Istanbul, Turkey.
Subsequently, the U.S. traveler claims on her Twitter channel and via an Internet blog to have been robbed by the police in Frankfurt. She also continues to insult the Federal Police officers and the security staff as "bully" and "thugs in uniform", among other things. These insults have also become evidence in the preliminary investigations.
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Bundespolizeidirektion Flughafen Frankfurt am Main
Stabsstelle Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Michael Moser
Telefon: 069/3400 4011
E-Mail: presse.flughafen.fra@polizei.bund.de
http://www.bundespolizei.de