Dr. Jeffrey Epstein made quite the scene at Orlando International Airport on Thursday, though he insists it was all “on purpose.” The 59-year-old doctor reportedly showed up at the ticket counter less than 30 minutes before his flight to Philadelphia, and agents informed him that he wouldn’t be able to make his scheduled departure.
That’s when things took a dark turn, an American Airlines spokesperson tells Inc.’s Chris Matyszczyk.
"He showed up at the ticket counter to check-in for his flight at 6 a.m. for a 6.24 a.m. flight. Our team was going to rebook him for the next available flight to Philadelphia, but that is when he became irate at our team, along with other passengers and children in the area who witnessed this event."
Epstein’s behavior escalated to the point that a bystander started filming the scene, as folks do these days. The Daily Mail reports on the early moments of the footage.
“That lady there had a flippin' attitude when I asked her if I would make my flight. She said, ‘maybe not,'” Epstein said.
Nobody around the angry man seemed to want to get involved, but Epstein wasn’t cowed by the lack of crowd participation.
Somewhere in the midst of this, the American agents called Orlando Police.
When Epstein saw officers approaching, he “threw his hands in the air” and yelled that “police had come to arrest him,” according to an arrest affidavit.
The man was removed from the ticket line and told he was prohibited from flying because of his behavior. Police said the man began to froth at the mouth while yelling profanities and throwing his hands in the air.
Wait—he was frothing at the mouth? Really? Yes, really, according to the police report written by Orlando Officer Chaplin.
"Epstein then became angry again and started yelling. I told Epstein to leave the line so that we could try to talk to him and calm him again. After leaving the line, Epstein continued to yell profanities and other remarks about AA business practices. I continued to try to calm Epstein down, but he would not. Epstein took off his backpack, put his hands in the air, and said to arrest him. I noticed white froth around Epstein's lips and asked him if he was having an issue. This made Epstein even angrier, and he denied anything was wrong."
WESH 2 in Orlando shared an edited version of the video, which picks up shortly after police ask the man about the whole “foaming at the mouth” thing. Epstein taunts the trio of police officers, calling one of them an “asshole,” and repeatedly asking them if they “want to test (him).” He says the officers are trying to provoke him, while he sarcastically refers to one officer as “genius” multiple times before throwing his hands in the air and telling them to “arrest (him) or find (him) a flight.”
The police officers silently take him up on the challenge, and begin to cuff him. At first, Epstein puts his hands behind his back in compliance, still ranting, but he suddenly starts resisting, pulling his arms forward. In the ensuing scuffle, all four men fall to the floor, and Epstein switches from aggressor to victim mode, shouting at bystanders to pay attention.
“Don’t beat me up, you motherfuckers! Don’t beat me up! Look at ‘em, oh my God, I can’t believe they’re doing this, oh my God! Hey, hey, look what they’re doing!”
Epstein continues to resist arrest, keeping his arms and balled-up fists close to his chest, in addition to kicking at law enforcement. The raging doctor keeps yelling, and just before the footage ends, he shouts, “You’re treating me like a fucking black person!”
Really, Jeff? Really?
Epstein was ultimately subdued with pepper spray, and placed under arrest. He complained of chest pains, so the cops took him to the hospital, where he refused to speak to a doctor. On the way to the ER, Epstein allegedly boasted to arresting officers that “he created a very big disturbance and did it on purpose,” according to the arrest report.
While Epstein was being booked on charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, trespassing after a warning and disorderly conduct, the video went viral, and WESH 2 was waiting for the frothy Floridian when he got out on $1800 bail.
And that’s when this weird tale takes its strangest turn yet.
(Epstein) said the disruption was done to "prove a point."
"If you're going to do this to a white doctor, who's 59-years-old, for doing nothing, then why would black people trust you?," Epstein said.
HE DID IT FOR THE BLACK PEOPLE, Y’ALL. Turns out this guy’s a regular Kaepernick!
Oh. Wait.
"I’m a conservative Republican, I’m a Trump guy. But until the police fix this problem, I don’t blame black people for being upset when they get arrested."
Awww, how sweet, Dr. Epstein! Black people everywhere have been waiting for absolution from a frothing rage monster who leverages their white privilege by showing up late to the airport and raging at airline staff! What better weapon in the fight against police brutality than a belligerent doctor resisting arrest after deliberately provoking law enforcement? What an expert recreation of the deadly violence that unarmed and compliant black people who don’t call cops names face in their own neighborhoods every single day! It’s identical, really.
Ah, what selflessness this man demonstrated, all in the singular pursuit of supporting all African Americans as they seek increased police accountability.
Oh. Wait.
Epstein also said he was trying to teach airlines a lesson about customer service.
"I was no danger. I was being loud because I wanted everyone to see. I wanted everything to be out in the open. Big companies have to take care of their customers, and when they call the cops in, they got to deescalate, not escalate," Epstein said.
In a later interview from his home, Epstein doubled down on his totally not-made-up-after-the-fact defense of his ridiculous behavior.
“I’m a provocative guy, and I do it on purpose. You know why? Because people don’t say stuff. If you say it, people will debate it and talk about it. Maybe we’ll get a solution,” said Epstein.
Epstein admits he was upset that the airline was taking so long to get him on his plane. When things turned physical with the police officers, he told FOX 35, “I figured a white guy getting arrested at an airport might get some attention to these black people who I think are legitimately concerned. If I was a black person, I’d be terrified.”
Epstein said if given the chance, he probably wouldn’t cause a scene like that again.
“My behavior wasn’t perfect but I think there’s problems in the system and maybe this’ll bring light to it.”
Put your cape back in the closet, Doc. We don't need another hero...and certainly not one like you.
No word on when Epstein, who was also found in possession of a baggie of marijuana that he apparently planned to take across state lines, will have his day in court.
You can watch WESH 2’s edited version of the video below.