Rev. William Barber removed from plane in Washington, D.C.

Rev. William Barber was returning to Raleigh from Washington, D.C., when, he says, he was removed from the flight. Barber was scheduled to return after spending Friday in Washington, D.C. as a keynote speaker at a national interfaith event that launched the 2016 Ecumenical Advocacy Days, according to a statement released Saturday afternoon.
Posted 4/17/2016, 3:14:35 AM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:51:15 PM

>>> THE STATE NAACP PRESIDENT

RELEASED A STATEMENT AFTER HE

WAS ESCORTED OFF AN AMERICAN

AIRLINES FLIGHT.

REVEREND DR. WILLIAM BARBER WAS

ON A FLIGHT LAST NIGHT FROM

WASHINGTON, D.C. TO R DEW AFTER

SPEAKING AT A NATIONAL EVENT.

BARBER SAYS BECAUSE OF HEALTH

PROBLEMS HE PURCHASED TWO SEATS

FOR COMFORT.

HE SAID HE OVERHEARD A

PASSENGER SAYING DISTASTEFUL

AND HARSH COMMENTS DIRECTED AT

HIM BECAUSE OF HIS SEATING

ARRANGEMENT -- SEATING

ARRANGEMENT.

HE SAID HE STOOD AND TURNED TO

ADDRESS THE PERSON AND WAS

ASKED TO LEAVE THE PLANE.

IN A STATEMENT, HE SAID, I

THINK MY FRIENDS FOR THEIR

WORDS OF COMFORT AND LOVE.

BARBER EXTENDED HIS GRATITUDE

FOR HELPING HIM REBOARD THE