Travellers at airports in Pennsylvania and British Columbia were taken aback on Tuesday when loudspeakers unexpectedly emitted pro-Hamas statements along with slurs aimed at President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Clips shared by passengers captured the unauthorized announcements resonating throughout terminals at Harrisburg International Airport and Kelowna International Airport.
In Kelowna, screens also displayed messages supporting Hamas and calling to “Free Palestine,” according to accounts from witnesses and officials.
Airport officials indicated that the digital intrusions impacted both public announcement systems and flight information displays—an act of cyber-vandalism that startled passengers and disrupted boarding, but did not compromise flight safety.
Scott Miller, spokesperson for Harrisburg, noted that “an unauthorized individual gained access to the airport PA system and played a recorded message without permission,” as reported to CNN affiliate WGAL.
He added, “The message was political and did not pose any threats towards the airport, its tenants, airlines, or passengers.”
Miller remarked that the system was swiftly deactivated and law enforcement initiated an investigation.
Out of an “abundance of caution,” a flight already boarding underwent a security check, but no issues were identified, allowing the plane to take off safely.
Kelowna officials acknowledged a similar issue occurring approximately 2,000 miles away.
In a statement to CNN, the airport revealed that a third party accessed both its flight information display systems and PA system.
The release noted, “We are currently experiencing flight delays.”
Videos from passengers showcased chants of “Free Palestine” that were audible during the incident.
A bewildered traveller recounted, “There was no information about what was happening; there was no crisis response. Everyone was just really baffled.”
Social media showcased images of airport screens adorned with pro-Hamas slogans before staff managed to disable the broadcasts.
Kelowna airport confirmed that unauthorized messages were removed, flight information was restored, and efforts to fully reset the audio system were ongoing.
Authorities in Canada, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Transport Canada, and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, have confirmed they are aiding in the investigation.
No group has taken responsibility for the incident.
Since the onset of the 2023 Israel-Gaza conflict, pro-Palestinian hacktivists have executed similar digital attacks around the globe.
These cybersecurity incidents underscore the rising vulnerabilities found within airport systems that increasingly depend on cloud-based audio and display technologies.
In June, a criminal organization infiltrated the computer systems of multiple airlines across the U.S. and Canada, as reported by the FBI.
A month later, a software malfunction created chaos at major European airports when hackers disabled check-in systems utilized by numerous carriers.
Hacktivist groups identifying as pro-Palestinian have announced hundreds of assaults on transport, finance, and governmental entities over the last two years.
One network known as the Dark Storm Team has previously targeted U.S. airports, NATO servers, and Israeli infrastructure.
Others affiliated with the ongoing OpIsrael campaign have defaced or disabled public websites throughout North America.
