Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Woman Forced to Remove Head Covering at Prague Airport
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman was reportedly forced to remove her traditional head covering by a border officer at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport. The incident, which occurred during passport control, has sparked claims of antisemitism and harassment.
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman traveling with her husband from Prague to London was ordered to remove her tichel, a traditional head covering worn for religious modesty, during passport control at Václav Havel Airport.
The incident occurred around 4 a.m. in the non-EU passport lane ahead of a Ryanair flight to London Stansted. The woman, who holds a British passport, was directed to the non-EU line while her husband passed through the EU lane without issue.
According to her account, the border control officer first instructed her to remove her hand from her pocket. He then yelled at her for leaning on his table, saying “That’s not allowed.” He subsequently demanded she take off her head covering.The woman told the officer she was a religious Jew and was not allowed to remove it. He yelled again, “Take it off.” Fearing arrest, she complied and removed the tichel in front of other passengers.
Afterward, the officer said it was fine and allowed her to proceed. She told him the experience was demoralizing, but he ignored her.
The woman later described the events in an interview that was reported by Israeli media, including Ynet. The incident has been widely shared in Jewish communities and described as antisemitic due to the officer’s confrontational manner.
No official comment from Václav Havel Airport or Czech authorities has been issued.