I Was Harassed,
Wrongfully Detained, Then Had "Evidence"
Planted On Me At The Airport
By Eric Striker
January 10, 2020 "Information
Clearing House" -
It
all started yesterday evening when I arrived at
Pittsburgh International Airport in the rustbelt
township of Moon, Pennsylvania for a flight to
Boston.
I approached the Kiosk to
print my ticket and immediately got an error, asking
I go get my boarding pass from the airline’s main
booth. I followed the instructions.
There, the woman typed my
information in and made a phone call. After a
lengthy 20 minutes, she gave me the phone and asked
me to “listen” while she briefly walked away. This
most likely was a way to get whatever Department of
Homeland Security surveillance team to identify me
and watch me through the camera.
Shortly after, my ticket
printed with the dreaded SSSS – Secondary Security
Screening Selection. This is the first time it has
ever happened to me (I last flew less than a year
ago). The SSSS list is reserved for suspected
terrorists and criminals, of which I am neither.
There are
millions of people on the list, with random
samplings finding that up to 40% of people on it
have inaccurately registered records. Furthermore, a
federal judge last September found that the practice
is unconstitutional. I’ve been traveling largely by
bus and car to work on news stories or visit friends
so I was caught off guard.
Little did I know I was in
for an annoying and long night, but I didn’t expect
how bad it would be. I have heard from other
peaceful dissidents and journalists that they have
been harassed like this at the airport for the past
year.
I used the restroom then
approached the TSA line. They took me to a separate,
cordoned off section and began the invasive and
downright ridiculous process.
As one man meticulously poked
and prodded my frank-n-beans from every angle, a
senior citizen checked every nook and cranny of my
wallet along with the bristles of my toothbrush
for…I’m not sure exactly. I made sure that none of
my electronics (phones and laptops) were being
illegally searched, which they didn’t, they only ask
you to turn them on.
In the commotion (at least 7
TSA agents surrounded me) a woman was asking me for
personal information, like my latest home address.
My response to her was to ask whether it was
mandatory to give it to her. She did not say whether
it was mandatory, but kept asking over and over
again for my information and I refused to give it. I
don’t have anything to hide, but the principle
stands.
