Swedish student Elin Ersson has gone viral after she refused to sit down on a flight in protest of the deportation of a 52-year-old man.
The flight from Gothenburg to Turkey was connecting to another flight which would take the man to Afghanistan, however, Ersson refused to take her seat until the man was let off the plane.
The passionate activist broadcast the protest in the form of a 14-minute Facebook Live video, which has now been viewed 3.2 million times and shared by over 44k people. Talking to the flight attendant, she can be heard saying: “I am doing what I can to save a person’s life.”
“As long as a person is standing up the pilot cannot take off. All I want to do is stop the deportation and then I will comply with the rules here. This is all perfectly legal and I have not committed a crime.”
Though some passengers were annoyed about the disruption, others were supportive of the protest.
Airport staff declined to use force to remove Ersson from the plane and eventually the man, accompanied by three security staff, left the plane to applause from the passengers of the flight, The Guardian reports.
“Thank you so much Elin everything you are doing for afghan asylum seeker. All we proud of you. We really appreciate your support,” one person wrote on Ersson’s video.
“WELL DONE! You are a brave warrior and thank you for standing up for what is right, in the face of intimidation and threats. I salute you dear Elin!” another commented.
