On Saturday, March 18, Melbourne man Bolic Bet Malou was tased by AFP officers after he refused to swap seats during a Jetstar flight. Footage of the incident, which has since gone viral, has led to uproar as Malou has accused the police of using excessive force.
In the footage, Bolic Bet Malou can be seen arguing with the cabin crew. Malou reportedly changed seats in order to sit with his wife and 1-year-old child. He refused to move seats, leading to the staff summoning authorities.
When asked by AFP officers to get off the flight, Malou reportedly said:
“What have I done wrong."
The officers responded:
"Either you come with us voluntarily or we’re going to grab you.”
After the arrival of the police, Bolic Bet Malou was accused of injuring three officers. Melbourne authorities claimed that in response to the alleged verbal and physical aggression, they tased Bolic Bet Malou and dragged him off the flight. The father, however, claimed that he was innocent.
Alternative accounts of what happened to Bolic Bet Malou
In an interview with reporters, Bolic Bet Malou said that the alleged humiliation he faced was entirely unjustified.
He told 9News reporters:
“I felt like an animal. I was tasered and carried out of the place, pushed.”
Malou claimed that he was tased by four different stun guns at the same time.
He said:
“Five police, four different Taser guns at once. It’s voltage on a human that done nothing wrong."
Jaeris Vansson, the passenger who filmed the incident, also said that he was surprised by how brutally officers dealt with the situation.
Vansson said:
“It went from like just this argument with staff, to this guy screaming at the top of his lungs being tasered. It was very violent and very sudden.”
While the cabin crew claimed that they can only take off if passengers stick to their assigned seats, Malou said the circumstances were unreasonable. He said that prior to the confrontation, he had agreed to swap seats with a fellow passenger.
Vansson told Sky News:
"At no stage was (Malou) being physically or verbally abusive towards anyone. The only issue was that he had swapped with someone else. (...) It looks like he had come to an amicable agreement with another passenger."
Shona Davis, the acting supirentendent of the AFP, stated that the officers' actions was justified. As per the New York Post, Bolic Bet Malou has been charged with disorderly behavior, as well as assaulting and obstructing police officers. The Sydney Herald noted that he will be banned from flying until July 2023.
Malou is reportedly fighting the court order. His attorneys are attempting to amend his bail conditions so that he can return to Melbourne.