A viral video of a man freaking out in a New York airport and shouting, "I'm being treated like a Black person right now!" has spread on social media sites like Twitter / X, TikTok and Reddit this week.

According to outlets like the Daily Mail, the man behind the crashout's name is Aaron "Tex" Johnson, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BBJ) practitioner, whose flight with Southwest Airlines didn't go according to plan.

Johnson, who has not yet addressed the incident on social media, is stirring up a lot of controversy in his absence. But who is he, and where did the "Tex Johnson Airport Freakout Video" come from? Let's explain.

Where Did The 'Tex Johnson Airport Freakout Video' Come From?

The original video was shared by a TikToker named @mrskk0404 on Monday, July 21st, 2025. The hectic scene shows a mustachioed man in a grey Under Armor shirt being forced off an airplane.

Flight attendants from Southwest Airlines and passengers onboard can be seen forming a barricade that moves the man down the aisle and out the door.

As with most videos like this, it all happened with much shouting and yelling. The man's large neck tattoo is notably seen for a moment in one frame.

The clip provides little context as to what caused the passenger's removal. Whatever it was, it seemed like everyone on camera was in agreement — he had to go.

@mrskk0404 Welcome to the no fly list #southwest #nyc #atl ♬ original sound – Kkm

The next day, another TikToker named @peepeepoopoosmap shared her own footage of the same incident, seemingly minutes after the man was taken off the plane.

He's shown on a gurney, being wheeled through the terminal by authorities. He's heard screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs and finishing his rant with the statement, "I'm being treated like a Black person right now!" delivered in the same, frantic tone.

This man had a full-blown meltdown at the airport while strapped to a stretcher, then shouted:“I’m getting treated like a black person right now” pic.twitter.com/SjlXAlypSJ

— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) July 23, 2025

Who Is 'Tex Johnson?'

After the videos went viral, a TikTok page called @realbjjnews claimed that the man's name was Tex Johnson.

The claim was later corroborated by the Daily Mail, which matched the passenger's hand tattoos to photos of Aaron "Tex" Johnson, who's seen rocking his infamous look on his Instagram @tex_bjj.

Johnson is a specialist in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BBJ) and has multiple championship titles in the BBJ circuit, according to his profile on BBJ Heroes.

How Are People Reacting To The 'Tex Johnson Airport Freakout Video'?

Most internet users were shocked when they first saw the video, mostly because of the fiery nature of the original altercation and Johnson's loudly expressed thoughts on Black people in the second.

"Welcome to the no-fly list," said one X user in a viral post, who was sure that this incident would bar Johnson from taking to the skies ever again.

Welcome to the no fly list pic.twitter.com/dm0xee4FyT

— The Black Tucker Carlson Jr 🇺🇸 (@B1TuckerCarlson) July 23, 2025

Others on the internet seemingly compared him to another airplane freakout character with a similar edgy tone: the JetBlue Burger King. "Has a new king of flying arrived?" said one viral tweet.

For some reason, planes and airports are a recurring setting for public freakout videos like this. The high-stress situation makes some women see things and makes some men want to shake each other's hands, firmly.

After all, you never see this type of stuff on trains.

There's got to be something toxic pumping out of those airplane vents. We're going to have to fix it before another person goes postal in a new viral video.

Has a new king of flying arrived? pic.twitter.com/kcN05kRQH1

— Mittens (@JUSTcatmeme) July 23, 2025

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For the full history of Tex Johnson Airport Freakout Video, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.