10-Year-Old Boy Asked To Change T-Shirt With Snake Image Before Boarding Plane

A 10-year-old boy from New Zealand was forced to wear his t-shirt inside out because it had a lifelike picture of a snake while boarding a plane in South Africa.

Stevie Lucas, from Wellington, was returning from a family trip in South Africa to New Zealand on Dec. 17 with his parents. After holidaying in Pretoria, the trio was headed for George to visit Lucas’ grandparents.

The security personnel at O.R. Thambo Airport, Johannesburg, told them that toys mimicking snakes or clothes depicting them weren’t allowed on board, Steve and Marga, Lucas’ parents, said. They asked him to change the t-shirt, according to NZ Herald.

Marga told Stevie to wear his tee shirt inside out instead so as for the security officers to let them pass, Kobus Rudolph, the family spokesperson, said.

Airport security footage showed Stevie removing his t-shirt at the security gate and wearing it back inside out. The family sent an e-mail to Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) seeking clarification on the clothing rule.

In its reply, an airport representative said, "Security officers have the right to determine if an object has the potential to harm fellow passengers and crew members by causing certain objects or prints to be anxious."

Stevie had reportedly inherited his fondness for snakes from his dad. Together they visited reptile stores to look at snakes, spiders, or bugs during their stay in South Africa.