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Man tries to open door during Delta flight from SLC to spread his anti-vaccine views

Flight lands safely in Portland after a flight attendant shut the door.

A man who tried to open an emergency exit door on a flight from Salt Lake City to Portland is facing federal charges. He told police he did it to draw attention to his anti-COVID vaccine views.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon, the 32-year-old man, who lives in Portland, was on a Delta Air Lines flight on Friday when he tried to open the door while the plane was in flight. Witnesses told investigators the suspect “removed the plastic covering over the emergency exit handle and forcefully pulled on the handle.”

When a flight attendant ordered the the man to stop, he complied and moved to the rear of the plane, where he was restrained by the flight crew. The Register-Guard in Eugene, Oregon, reported that a passenger on the flight said the man began trying to open the door about 20 minutes after takeoff, adding that “the screeching of the wind and the change in pressure was felt by everyone,” and that a flight attendant was able to shut the door.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, when the plane landed in Portland the suspect told police he “created the disturbance so other passengers would video record him sharing his personal views” about COVID-19 vaccines. The Register-Guard obtained a video showing the man shouting, “We’re all being lied to, wake up!” and “The Earth is bleeding, the international community hates the United States of America!” as he was being taken off the plane.

The suspect has been charged with threatening to interfere and interfering with a flight crew and attendants. He is being being detained “pending further court proceedings,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.