A Jewish passenger flying to Portugal from Manchester Airport was shocked to see one of the security staff wearing a Palestine flag badge while checking boarding passes.

The passenger contacted UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), about this incident, which occurred at terminal 1 of Manchester Airport, on 26 August 2024.

UKLFI wrote to Manchester Airport’s managing director, Chris Woodroofe, and pointed out that staff wearing inflammatory pro-Palestine badges create an intimidating, hostile, and offensive environment, particularly for Jews, Israelis and Zionists at the airport.

This constitutes harassment contrary to Section29 (3) of the Equality Act 2010 (“the Act”).  Jews and Israelis have protected characteristics of race, religion or belief under Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010, and so are covered by the Act.  In accordance with Section 29(3) of the Act,

“A service-provider must not, in relation to the provision of the service, harass—

(a)a person requiring the service, or

(b)a person to whom the service-provider provides the service.”

Chris Woodroofe,  Managing Director of Manchester Airport responded, saying: “I will ensure that it is investigated, and we will then take any appropriate steps to ensure compliance with our Policies and Standards.  Manchester Airport Group’s Uniform and Dress Code Policy states that colleagues can only wear pins/badges that are company issued or affiliated to other work-related groups (for example, our Recognised Trade Unions, Colleague Resource Groups, or Wellbeing).”

A UKLFI spokesperson commented: “We are seeing too many instances of airport staff wearing pro-Palestine badges in a work setting, and trying to show off their political allegiances to airport passengers.  Airport management need to remind staff not to wear unauthorised political badges, and to discipline staff who do so.”