Warsaw airport makes Israeli cellist remove ‘dangerous’ strings from instrument

Amit Peled’s instrument had to be removed and he had to surrender his extra set of strings at Warsaw Chopin airport

Cellist Amit Peled. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Author: Jason Turner

An Israeli cellist had the strings of his instrument confiscated at the airport in Warsaw, after employees determined they were “too dangerous” to take on board with him.

The strings on Amit Peled’s instrument had to be removed and he had to surrender his extra set of strings early on Monday morning at Warsaw Chopin airport, he told the Classic FM digital radio station by email.

Peled was leaving the country after appearing with the Warsaw Philharmonic.

He said it was the first time that airport security anywhere in the world required him to surrender his strings.

“Well, at least they didn’t take the cello claiming that the endpin could be used to stab somebody,” he wrote in the email.

Peled had been offered the opportunity to leave the strings on the cello but to check the instrument as registered baggage, which he declined.

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