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Sikh Comedian Forced To Remove Turban At US Airport

Not Again. Sikh Comedian Forced To Remove Turban At US Airport
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SAN FRANCISCO--An Indo-Canadian Sikh comedian was forced to take off his turban here during a security check, weeks after a Sikh-American actor was barred from boarding a flight in Mexico for refusing to take off his turban.

Jasmeet Singh, who’s known on the internet as “JusReign,” posted about the incident on Twitter.

“So the (agents) made me take off my turban in extra screening or they said I wouldn’t be able to be let through to catch my flight,” he tweeted.

so the @tsa made me take off my turban in extra screening or they said I wouldn't be able to be let through to catch my flight

— Jasmeet Singh (@JusReign) February 22, 2016

and naturally I'm like nah I really don't wanna do that since I got a flight to catch, but the manager intervenes and says I have to

— Jasmeet Singh (@JusReign) February 22, 2016

so I get into the private screening and take it off and they body search me and put my turban through another X-ray machine because "safety"

— Jasmeet Singh (@JusReign) February 22, 2016

When he asked for a mirror, so that he can tie his turban back, the agent told him that there are no mirrors and that he can just walk down the terminal to the nearest restroom without his turban on.

after finding absolutely nothing wrong because a turban is just cloth and the whole thing is stupid I ask for a mirror to tie it back again

— Jasmeet Singh (@JusReign) February 22, 2016

the agent tells me there are no mirrors and that I can just walk down the terminal to the nearest restroom 😶😶😶

without my turban on 😶😶😶

— Jasmeet Singh (@JusReign) February 22, 2016

FAM WHAT WAS THE POINT IN TAKING ME TO THE PRIVATE ROOM IF U JUST TELL ME TO WALK OUT TO THE NEAREST RESTROOM TO PUT IT BACK ON AGAIN

— Jasmeet Singh (@JusReign) February 22, 2016

Turbans are mandatory in public for Sikh men, and are worn to protect the hair, as well as to convey a sense of identity.

On February 9, Waris Ahluwalia, a Sikh-American actor, model and designer was barred from boarding Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to New York after he refused to remove his turban during a security check, drawing swift condemnation from the fashion community.

Later, Mexico’s flag carrier apologised to the 41-year-old actor saying it “recognises and is proud of the diversity of its passengers“.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.