Joshua Colby Council Delta airlines passenger refusing to wear mask while boarding Salt Lake City to San Francisco flight arrested.
Here we go again. A Delta airlines passenger making his way from Salt Lake City to San Francisco was arrested after refusing to wear a face mask upon boarding his flight, authorities said.
Joshua Colby Council, 44, was making his way on to the gate on Wednesday when an agent stopped and asked him to put on a face mask, according to a police report obtained by the Salt Lake Tribune.
Despite repeated entreaties, Council refused to wear a mask while continuing to board the plane.
Once on board, the captain and flight crew also asked Council to wear a mask, only for the man to become hostile, ABC4 reported.
But there was more to come.
The ideological will of individuals vs the well being of the collective (during a pandemic)
Upon airport security entering the plane and demanding the man disembark, Customs insisted that he be allowed to fly.
It was only after all the other passengers got up and walked out did the traveler finally leave the plane, police said.
The incident delayed the flight for 45 minutes.
Council was booked into Salt Lake County jail on a disorderly conduct charge. He was released Thursday morning.
‘We apologize to customers for the delay on Flight 1382 on Wednesday as a passenger was removed from the flight for mask non-compliance,’ the airlines said in a statement to KSL-TV.
‘There is nothing more important than the safety of our people and customers.’
The incident is but the latest amongst a spade of episodes in the US which has seen individuals questioning the need to have to wear face mask amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Episodes which has seen recalcitrant behavior, violence, including fatalities.
