American Airlines accused of making passenger hide 'Palestine' sweater

• An American Airlines passenger said he was forced to remove his "Palestine" sweater.
• The passenger said the airline was "complicit in the murders of innocent Palestinian children in Gaza."

An American Airlines passenger said he was forced to hide his sweater that said "Palestine" on it when he boarded a flight from New York to Phoenix, this week.

The passenger, who remains unidentified, accused the airline of being "complicit in the murders of innocent Palestinian children in Gaza" on social media.

Michigan Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib joined the row and asked: "Does American Airlines have a bias towards Palestinians?"

The man said cabin staff told him to either remove the sweater or turn it inside out because it was "political."

He said that flight attendants threatened to have him removed by law enforcement if he did not comply.

The passenger said he ultimately acted according to their request because he was unsure of his rights.

Per the American Airlines website, customers are instructed to "dress appropriately; bare feet or offensive clothing aren't allowed." There is no written policy about clothing perceived to be political.

Rep. Tlaib said on Instagram that she had known the young man for many years and said it raised important questions for American.

"Is there a policy that enables this kind of targeting and mistreatment? "He was devastated and felt like the erasure of Palestinians in our country has no limits. I emailed @americanair and I'm waiting for a response."

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee released a statement condemning the incident and calling "for the airline to issue a formal apology to the affected passenger."

When contacted by Business Insider, American Airlines provided a statement: "We strive to ensure all customers have a positive experience throughout their journey on American. We are looking into the matter and a member of our team is reaching out to learn more about their experience and address their concerns."