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Wiz Khalifa arrested after refusing to get off 'hoverboard' at LAX

By Doug G. Ware
Rapper Wiz Khalifa was arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday for allegedly refusing to get off a "hoverboard" he was riding through the facility. He later posted video of the event to his social media account. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Rapper Wiz Khalifa was arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday for allegedly refusing to get off a "hoverboard" he was riding through the facility. He later posted video of the event to his social media account. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Rapper Wiz Khalifa was arrested Saturday at Los Angeles International Airport for, according to him, refusing to get off his "hoverboard" when officers asked.

The rapper, whose real name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz, was returning from a tour in Finland Saturday night when the arrest occurred. Officers reportedly didn't want him riding the device through the airport.

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In videos he posted online, Khalifa is forcibly arrested by three officers.

During the arrest, the officers can be heard telling the entertainer to "stop resisting." Khalifa, 27, responds by saying he isn't resisting arrest.

Later, Khalifa defended his right to ride his "hoverboard" -- which is effectively a skateboard that can hover without wheels. The device was introduced in the 1989 film Back To the Future, Part II, which is set in the year 2015.

"I stand for our generation, and our generation is gonna be riding hover boards," he tweeted.

"What's even funnier than them not bein able to do [anything] is they'll be riding them soon as well. Maybe ones I design," the rapper tweeted later.

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Agents at the airport didn't discuss the specifics of Khalifa's arrest, due to privacy laws.

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection strives to treat all travelers with respect and in a professional manner, while maintaining the focus of our mission to protect all citizens and visitors in the United States," an agency spokesman told The Washington Post. "All travelers arriving into the U.S. are subject to CBP inspection, and for their own safety and the safety of other passengers, must follow officers' instructions while in the Federal Inspection Service area.

"CBP officers are conducting their critical national security mission while facilitating the entry of legitimate travelers. An uncompliant passenger or any disruptive behavior could put many at risk in this highly secure area."

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