Parents protest after breastfeeding mother is kicked off plane

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. — About 30 parents and their children sat in front of an airline counter Wednesday to protest the treatment of a passenger who said she was kicked off a plane for breast-feeding her child.

Mothers breast-fed their children and held up signs during the "nurse-in."

"I just think it's unbelievable that it happened in 2006, especially in Vermont" said Lora McAllister, a Swanton mother. "It's kind of mind boggling."

Emily Gillette of Santa Fe, N.M., had complained that she was kicked off an airplane because she was nursing her baby.

A complaint against two airlines was filed with the Vermont Human Rights, although Executive Director Robert Appel said he was barred by state law from confirming the complaint. He did say state law allows a mother to breast-feed in public.

Elizabeth Boepple, a lawyer hired by Gillette, 27, confirmed that Gillette filed the complaint late last week against Delta Air Lines and Freedom Airlines. Freedom was operating the Delta commuter flight between Burlington and New York City.

A Freedom spokesman said Gillette was asked to leave the flight after she declined a flight attendant's offer of a blanket.

"I was horrified that a mother could be humiliated like that," said Caroline Beer, 34, of Burlington.