Brown's 'Racist' Claims Over Air-Rage Incident

Rocker Ian Brown blames his 1998 air-rage arrest on a racist member of the inflight cabin crew. The former Stone Roses frontman was jailed for four months on charges of threatening behaviour - he famously warned an air hostess he would "chop her hand off". But the FOOLS GOLD singer claims he was retaliating to racist behaviour towards his travelling companions. Brown says, "I was flying with four black friends, two Asians and a couple of white kids, and our stewardess was not best pleased. "She was obviously used to white middle-class guys with suits and ties. "Being teetotal I'd had nothing to drink, but when she brought round the duty free she waved her hand dismissively, which was rude, so I challenged her. "She apologised and I said flippantly, 'Do it again and I'll chop it off.' "There was a genuine air-rage incident in Spain just before my court date, which put the subject in the news. "They wanted to make an example of me. I was a free advertisement for BA, which needed to show they were enforcing the new laws."