Austin drummer's removal from flight appears related to criminal warrant, not immigration action

Austin drummer's removal from flight appears related to criminal warrant, not immigration action

Members of Lord Buffalo wrote on social media that their bandmate, Yamal Said, was removed from a flight leaving the Dallas-Fort Worth area Monday afternoon. The band was headed to Amsterdam to start their European tour, which they have since canceled.

Online jail records indicate Said is being held in a Tarrant County jail for allegedly violating a protective order, also known as a restraining order, at least twice in the past year. In Texas, this is a felony. A conviction could result in at least two years of jail time.

The warrant for Said’s arrest was issued by the Llano County Sheriff’s Office. KUT News reached out to the sheriff’s office in an attempt to get additional arrest documents Wednesday, but was not able to by deadline.

George Lobb, a criminal defense attorney in Austin, said removing someone with a felony warrant from an international flight is not unusual. “It’s not uncommon for people to get pulled off of planes entering the U.S. and departing from the U.S. when they have felony warrants," Lobb said.



https://www.kut.org/austin/2025-05-14/austin-texas-lord-buffalo-drummer-removal-from-flight