This is a very concerning story. He's an academic who studies, talks and writes about antifascism, and just for that, not even for any antifascist activism, the fascists are threatening to kill him. And someone in the US government and/or the airline is helping them to achieve this by trapping him and his family in the country. They're determined to persecute, and even kill, academics not for their views but for even discussing views that go against the fascist program.
this post was submitted on 09 Oct 2025
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Anti-fascists are always persecuted, usually outnumbered, and they are way more often the underdog than we'd like to think they are. One of the biggest dangers of fascism is that it is legitimately popular. People don't know what's best for them, they love a strongman, even when a small minority is willing to tell them exactly how that is going to go for them, they won't believe it.
I stopped trying to be the messenger when I realized I was preaching to a crowd of people who would rather shoot the messenger then believe they got tricked. There's no future in salvation.
Fortunately, at this time, he is flyimg safely with his family to Spain. Hope they will be ok here!
I’m pretty sure that could be considered grounds for driving up to the Canadian border and requesting asylum as a politically-persecuted refugee
I'd think the same, though it sounds like the US border guards might try to stop him ever reaching the Canadian side. Still, no airline is involved and it doesn't need to be booked in advance so there'd be a pretty good chance of getting through.
Having driven across the US/Canada border multiple times, egress from the US isn’t controlled - or at least, it wasn’t when I went through last time. But I’m also a US Citizen and may not have been subjected to the customs queues in ways that non-US passport holders are - idk, it was a few years ago.
or at least, it wasn’t when I went through last time. But I’m also a US Citizen and may not have been subjected to the customs queues in ways that non-US passport holders are - idk, it was a few years ago.
trump changed this in the last 6 months or so. While there are still many Canadian crossings that you can leave the USA freely (to go to Canadian border guards side), trump has now set up USA border guards on the USA side even for US Citizens attempting to leave the USA to go to Canada. I think there are 6 or 8 right now at some of the largest crossings. Its already announced more are coming. trump doesn't want us leaving.
Oh. I see. Delightful.
Any recent sources on this? I found some articles from May of this year. Is it still ongoing? Has it gotten worse?
No recent sources. Months ago the article I read said that this was only happening at 6 border crossings, but there were plans to expand it to more.
I’d think the same, though it sounds like the US border guards might try to stop him ever reaching the Canadian side.
Right now there are only a handful of border crossings from the US to Canada that have border guards challenging Americans leaving the USA, and all of these are new under trump in the last 6 months. The usual place USA border guards challenge is on entering the USA.
If he's gonna sneak across, he's gonna need to do it before the snows hit Saskatchewan. It's a long walk and it's very cold and many people die even when their home country isn't trying to make that happen.
On the Canuck side there's usually po-po waiting with blankets and cookies and a warm car. Of course he'll stay At The Pleasure, for a while, until his case comes up, but we're not barbarians.
You can't claim asylum in Canada from the US. They have agreements.
I would not be shocked if that policy changed at some point in the relatively near future.
Sadly that sounds like wishful thinking
I don't think Canada should remind Trump it exists again. This dude is itching to go to war with somewhere. Then again I'm quite sure America would have a war with itself before one with fucking Canada.
Our Prime Minister spent the last few days in the Oval Office sucking up to Trump.
This. They actually have to report any American who tries to seek asylum to the American Government
What the actual fuck, who would make such a blatantly evil agreement? How are we in a wise timeline than the handmaid's tale?
America
I mean with America, what Canadian thought it was good to give anyone free reign to persecute people like that
Land of the Never-Getting-Free
“Rutgers University is committed to providing a secure environment – to learn, teach, work and research – where all members of our community can share their opinions without fear of intimidation or harassment,” it added.
seems unlikely because in late August 2025 ....
Rutgers suspends Palestinian student group that led campus protests
Love all the times centrists told me my desire for universal healthcare was "too radical" and "too extreme" and yet they seem perfectly ok with this.
Fascist morons saying anything Canada does is "too radical" is my laugh of the day. We're kinda the standard for "second place" at anything, and that's totally ookay.
Reading TFA - his trip was cancelled, but it doesn’t state by whom. There isn’t an indication at this time that it was government; he’s been threatened by right wing activists so it’s possible that someone working in the airline cancelled the itinerary (maybe at checkin?) or someone pretended to be him and called the airline to cancel etc.
Not that it makes it ok in anyway!
“‘Someone’ cancelled my family’s flight out of the country at the last second,” Bray posted on Bluesky social media. “We got our boarding passes. We checked our bags. Went through security. Then at our gate our reservation ‘disappeared.’”
I confess that I know nothing about cancelling reservations like this, but who exactly has the power to cancel a reservation after you've gone through security, picked up your boarding passes, and checked your bags? Could some rando have called the airline and done it at that point? I would think that the computer would flag the customer service person that the traveler was already checked in and ready to board. But then, maybe I'm giving their systems too much credit.
Thank you, the comments are maddening as nobody seems to have read the article. His ticket was mysteriously cancelled after he was in the airport. It’s not like law enforcement detained him or prevented him which is what the title insinuates. At the time of writing he was rescheduled to fly and was staying the night in a hotel waiting for his flight.
You've gotta be a fucking idiot to believe this was a coincidence
No I don’t think it was a coincidence but this could easily be some MAGA he personally knows that heard his plans and is fucking with him. It’s not necessarily a government action is all.
Idk, there's that old saying "never attribute to malice that which can be explained by incompetence." And having interacted with the airline industry in this country it's not hard to imagine. Not that I'd put this past the current powers that be. But without more information we'll probably never get it's hard to say.
This one won't work either. They put him on a list.
Better not tell the airline which hotel...
My concern here is that the govt shutdown and lack of faa workers is behind the cancellation. We need to focus. I hope he's able to catch the next flight outta here.
Isn't this grounds for an asylum case?
Sure, but he has to get out first
I’d be looking at Canadian embassies or something along those lines.
Edit: Apparently this sounds better in a movie.
You can't claim asylum from US to Canada. They have agreements.
Literally any other embassy then?
I think most countries effectively don't allow asylum from America.
Sure, but he has to get out first.
Tried to leave when it was too late.
Time to cross the border for political asylum...
To Mexico. No Asylum in Canada. Other places require boat or air travel.
The Guardian put up a paywall now?
weird, i'm not hitting it
Do some legwork. Bypassing it is pretty basic.