"I want him to get off the plane because he is not safe in Afghanistan," said 21-year-old Swedish student Elin Ersson. (Photo: Facebook/Screengrab)
Jul 25, 2018
In an act of civil disobedience against her government's inhumane treatment of refugees that quickly went viral, 21-year-old Swedish student Elin Ersson prevented the immediate deportation of an Afghan asylum-seeker on Monday by refusing to sit down on a flight until the 52-year-old man was removed from the plane.
"I'm not going to sit down until this person is off the plane," said Ersson, who streamed her protest live on Facebook. As of this writing, the Facebook video has over five million views.
If the man is deported, Ersson said, "he's going to get killed" by ongoing war, which the U.S. launched by invading Afghanistan in 2001.
"What is more important, a life, or your time?" Ersson asked as passangers implored her to sit. "I want him to get off the plane because he is not safe in Afghanistan. I am trying to change my country's rules, I don't like them. It is not right to send people to hell."
"I hope that people start questioning how their country treats refugees," Ersson told the Guardian in an interview on Wednesday. "We need to start seeing the people whose lives our immigration [policies] are destroying."
Watch:
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In an act of civil disobedience against her government's inhumane treatment of refugees that quickly went viral, 21-year-old Swedish student Elin Ersson prevented the immediate deportation of an Afghan asylum-seeker on Monday by refusing to sit down on a flight until the 52-year-old man was removed from the plane.
"I'm not going to sit down until this person is off the plane," said Ersson, who streamed her protest live on Facebook. As of this writing, the Facebook video has over five million views.
If the man is deported, Ersson said, "he's going to get killed" by ongoing war, which the U.S. launched by invading Afghanistan in 2001.
"What is more important, a life, or your time?" Ersson asked as passangers implored her to sit. "I want him to get off the plane because he is not safe in Afghanistan. I am trying to change my country's rules, I don't like them. It is not right to send people to hell."
"I hope that people start questioning how their country treats refugees," Ersson told the Guardian in an interview on Wednesday. "We need to start seeing the people whose lives our immigration [policies] are destroying."
Watch:
In an act of civil disobedience against her government's inhumane treatment of refugees that quickly went viral, 21-year-old Swedish student Elin Ersson prevented the immediate deportation of an Afghan asylum-seeker on Monday by refusing to sit down on a flight until the 52-year-old man was removed from the plane.
"I'm not going to sit down until this person is off the plane," said Ersson, who streamed her protest live on Facebook. As of this writing, the Facebook video has over five million views.
If the man is deported, Ersson said, "he's going to get killed" by ongoing war, which the U.S. launched by invading Afghanistan in 2001.
"What is more important, a life, or your time?" Ersson asked as passangers implored her to sit. "I want him to get off the plane because he is not safe in Afghanistan. I am trying to change my country's rules, I don't like them. It is not right to send people to hell."
"I hope that people start questioning how their country treats refugees," Ersson told the Guardian in an interview on Wednesday. "We need to start seeing the people whose lives our immigration [policies] are destroying."
Watch:
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.