A man who passengers said made anti-Semitic statements aboard a Delta Air Lines flight was arrested.
Police arrested 37-year-old David Toaff of Washington, D.C., Wednesday after his flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport arrived in Atlanta at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
WXIA-TV reports officers met the plane just before 8 p.m. and Toaff was charged with obstructing police and disorderly conduct.
Passengers said Toaff, who is Jewish and was wearing a Jewish prayer shawl when he was arrested, began making statements against Jews during the flight and demanded that all Jews raise their hands so he could identify them.
“Preliminary information indicates that while in flight to Atlanta, a male began uttering anti-Semitic words to passengers aboard the aircraft,” police said in a statement. “When the flight arrived at the gate, the male continued the disturbance and refused to provide officers with identification.”
At least one onlooker posted a video of Toaff's arrest to social media. He can be heard repeatedly asking what he did wrong and saying he was terrified.
Atlanta-based Delta confirms police met the flight "due to a customer's behavior on board the flight."
Records show Toaff remained jailed Thursday morning in Clayton County. It was unclear if he had a lawyer.
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