Hackers hijack airport loudspeakers with pro-Hamas rants, anti-Trump slurs across North America

**Pro-Hamas Messages Broadcasted Over Airport Systems in Pennsylvania and British Columbia in Cyber-Vandalism Incidents**
Passengers at airports in Pennsylvania and British Columbia were stunned on Tuesday when loudspeakers suddenly blasted pro-Hamas messages and slurs against President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Videos posted by travelers showed the unauthorized recordings echoing through terminals at Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania and Kelowna International Airport in Canada. Additionally, screens at Kelowna flashed messages praising Hamas and calling for “Free Palestine,” according to officials and eyewitnesses.
Airport authorities confirmed that these digital breaches targeted both public address systems and flight information displays. This form of cyber-vandalism disrupted boarding procedures and startled passengers but did not cause any flight safety issues.
At Harrisburg International Airport, spokesperson Scott Miller said in a statement to CNN affiliate WGAL, “An unauthorized user gained access to the airport PA system and played an unauthorized recorded message. The message was political in nature and did not contain any threats against the airport, our tenants, airlines, or passengers.” Miller added that the system was quickly shut off and police have opened an investigation. Out of an abundance of caution, one flight that was boarding was searched, but no security issues were found. The plane later departed safely.
Kelowna International Airport officials reported a similar breach occurring roughly 2,000 miles away. In a statement shared with CNN, the airport confirmed that a third party accessed both its flight information display screens and PA system. “We are experiencing some delayed flights,” the release read. Video reviewed by CNN captured passengers hearing “Free Palestine” chants over the loudspeakers. One traveler described the confusion, saying, “Nobody informed us what was going on, there was no crisis response. Everyone was just really confused.”
Images posted on social media showed Kelowna airport screens displaying pro-Hamas slogans before staff disabled the feed. The airport confirmed that the unauthorized messages were deleted, flight information was restored, and work was ongoing to fully reset the sound system.
Canadian authorities, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Transport Canada, and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, have confirmed their assistance with the ongoing investigation. To date, no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
These incidents are part of a wider trend since the start of the 2023 Israel-Gaza conflict, during which pro-Palestinian hacktivists have carried out numerous digital intrusions worldwide. These cybersecurity breaches highlight growing vulnerabilities in airport networks, which have increasingly relied on cloud-based audio and display systems.
In June, the FBI reported that a criminal group penetrated computer networks of several airlines in the US and Canada. A month later, hackers caused widespread disruption at major European airports by knocking out check-in systems used by dozens of carriers.
Pro-Palestinian hacktivist collectives have claimed responsibility for hundreds of attacks on transportation, finance, and government targets over the past two years. One such network, known as the Dark Storm Team, has previously targeted US airports, NATO servers, and Israeli infrastructure.
As airport networks continue to modernize, these incidents underscore the critical need for enhanced cybersecurity measures to protect public safety and maintain trust among travelers.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/15/us-news/pro-hamas-hackers-hijack-airport-loudspeakers-across-north-america/