Conservative TSA critic says he was detained in retaliation

Conservative radio host Alex Jones is accusing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of detaining him at a Texas airport in retaliation for his frequent criticisms of the agency.

Jones's website InfoWars.com is reporting that the talk show host was detained by TSA agents at Austin, Texas's Austin-Bergstrom International Airport after he refused to remove his shoes at a security checkpoint.

TSA requires all passengers except seniors and children to remove their shoes, but Jones contended that other passengers were being allowed to keep on their footwear.
 
Jones's website argued that talk show host was purposely targeted by the TSA employees. 

"As soon as he approached security, Jones was addressed by a TSA screener who said, 'hello Mr. Jones,' indicating that she knew who he was, and immediately ordered him to remove his shoes," the website said.  "When Jones refused, citing the fact that innumerable other people had not removed their shows, the TSA screener claimed that only under 12′s and over 75′s were not mandated to remove footwear under TSA policy. 

"When Jones contested the point, arguing that numerous travelers in their 40′s had not removed their shoes, other TSA agents ordered him to take off his shoes, before Jones was approached by a police officer who immediately got in his face and started threatening him with arrest," the article continued. "Despite Jones’ protests that he was clearly being discriminated against because he was a known critic of the TSA (the rest of the TSA screeners also knew him by name), the officer growled, “Take your damn shoes off or I’m gonna arrest you.'"

Other TSA critics, including notable lawmakers like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), have accused the agency of targeting them at airport security checkpoints.

TSA denied Jones was unfairly targeted, saying that almost all passengers are required to remove their shoes.

“TSA’s objective is to mitigate risk in a way that ensures security measures while both promoting the safe movement of people and commerce and guarding against a deliberate attack against our transportation systems," the agency said in a statement that was provided to The Hill.

"The agency has implemented a number of risk-based security measures including modified screening procedures for passengers 12 and under, passengers 75 and older, and members of the military as well as TSA Pre-Check/Global Entry participants," the TSA statement continued. "All other passengers must undergo shoe screening and passengers with a disability or hindering medical condition who cannot remove their shoes can be screened using alternative methods.”

-This post was updated with new information at 3:48 p.m.

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