(JTA) – A British activist promoting boycotts against Israel was filmed threatening similar action against Air India unless flight attendants serve her wine on a flight that ended with her arrest. Simone O’Broin, 50, appeared inebriated when she went on a tirade aboard an Air India flight from Mumbai to London Heathrow on Nov. 3. O’Broin, who worked as a head researcher for the anti-Israel Badil organization as late as 2011, was filmed by fellow passengers telling flight attendants that she is a “leader of the f***ing boycott movement,” clapping in the air in front of a crew member. She added: “If I say boycott f***ing Air India, done. Do you understand me? You can’t give me a wee bottle of wine?”
Earlier in her rant O’Broin, who co-authored a research paper with former U.N. Special Rapporteur Richard Falk on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories, said: “Do you treat business class passengers like that? Who are international criminal lawyers for the Palestinian people?” Then her profanity-laced fulminations appeared to take a racist turn, when she told the Indian flight crew: “I work for all you f***ing people. … ‘The f***ing Rohingyas, the f***ing people of all Asia, for you, I’m an international criminal lawyer. Don’t get any money for it by the way. But you won’t give me a f***ing glass of wine, is that correct?” She then called a female crew member “Indian f***ing money grabbing bastard,” shouting that she will “turn you inside f***ing out, you f***ing stupid c***s.”
London Metropolitan Police said that O’Broin was taken into custody at Heathrow Airport upon landing. She was subsequently released under investigation, the spokesperson said.