A 22-year-old French Jewish student who was detained by Spanish authorities after an incident involving dozens of Jewish children and teenagers removed from a flight in Valencia has spoken publicly for the first time, describing the experience as “a clear act of antisemitism.”
The woman, identified only as Élise, told Le Parisien that she was in charge of the group of Jewish youth when the July incident unfolded aboard a Vueling Airlines flight. She said she was handcuffed, arrested by Spain’s Civil Guard and questioned—an ordeal that has left her physically and emotionally shaken.
The moment of Élise's arrest by airport security in Valencia, Spain
“I experienced physical violence. I have bruises, pain in my right ankle and shoulders. Since then, I’ve had asthma attacks, anxiety and I can’t sleep,” said Élise, who is set to begin her fourth year of dental school. Video footage from the airport showed her restrained on the ground.
The group, she said, had behaved calmly and followed instructions. She denied the airline’s claims that the group disrupted the flight or tampered with safety equipment. “From the beginning, everyone has said it’s a lie,” she told the French newspaper. “Vueling is trying to manipulate public opinion with shifting narratives.”
According to Élise, the situation escalated after a child in the group shouted a word in Hebrew, prompting an aggressive response from a flight attendant. “I stood up from my seat, and the attendant said that if it happened again, the whole group would be removed from the plane.”
She claimed the flight crew displayed hostility from the moment they boarded. “They looked at us with hostility and didn’t greet us when we boarded,” she said.
The students were visibly identifiable as Jewish, she noted, wearing kippahs, Star of David jewelry and carrying bags marked with the Star of David logo of the camp they were attending. “It was clearly an antisemitic act,” she said. “I hope the truth comes out, that Vueling admits what really happened and apologizes.”
Élise also spoke to Enfoque Judío, a Spanish Jewish news outlet, describing how she had asked to speak with the pilot but was refused. The pilot was later identified as Iván Chirivella, a former trainer of two of the 9/11 attackers. In a conversation with a Jewish businessman, Chirivella reportedly claimed he was unaware the group was Jewish.
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Eventually, Élise agreed to disembark alone, hoping the others could remain. “Two minutes later, the children were also removed. They were asked to delete the videos they had recorded. They were scared. I told them not to delete anything. My priority was to stay calm, still hoping they could return to the plane.”
She was arrested shortly afterward on suspicion of assaulting a police officer. “I don’t understand why they arrested me,” she said. “One of the officers showed me his weapon and handcuffs. They threw me to the ground, handcuffed me and pressed a knee into my back.”
Élise said she suffered an asthma attack during the interrogation, which was conducted in Spanish. “I was terrified. I was afraid he would hurt me physically,” she said.
The incident remains under investigation, and Jewish organizations in France and Spain have called for a thorough review.