Black Lives Matter organizer Asha Long says that disrupting air travel is not a bad thing: “I think it’s important for that we realize people who are upset about missing their air, their flight, that many black lives are disrupted every day.”

Appearing on “CNN Newsroom” with Carol Costello on Thursday, Long was unable to provide statistics to back up her claims arguing, “I do not have statistics but I do have lived experience which is just as valid.”

Long, who was one of the many Black Lives Matter protesters who disrupted business at the Minneapolis Airport on Wednesday was asked by Costello, “How do people who missed their flights home for Christmas, be sympathetic to the cause?”

“I think it’s important for that we realize people who are upset about missing their air, their flight, that many black lives are disrupted every day,” Long claimed. “Every day a black community is dealing with over-policing, constant police harassment, black students are being suspended at astronomical rates. Umm, black folks are unable to live their lives autonomously and it’s important we focus on what’s important, focus on getting justice and fixing disparities in the black community.”

“But what would you say, Asha, to people who say what’s important right now is that Americans remain safe at a sensitive time in our nation, when people are flying home for Christmas, right,” asked Costello, “and the nation is on a heightened terror alert, yet protesters force TSA agents to take their eye off the ball to handle protesters?”

“Safety for black lives is an illusion, especially at the airport,” Long suggested. “The airport is actually under investigation for the practices that they are doing. As you know and have reported, Islamophobia is rampant in the airport. So many people are taken off their flights and harassed.”

“There’s no evidence that,” interjected Costello, “I mean, I’m sure it goes on, but there’s no evidence that many, many people are taken off their flights and harassed.”

“I think there is,” Long claimed. “You can see it when a person of color–”

When asked to provide statistics, Long said, “I don’t have statistics for you. I don’t have statistics. What I do have is experience as a black person. I see my Muslim counterparts being harassed on the daily, whether at the airport or not. Black lives, in general, harassed every day. I do not have statistics but I do have lived experience which is just as valid.”

“I understand that, but I just want to ask you one more time — at a time when our nation is on heightened alert, is it really the best idea to disrupt things at the nation’s airports,” Costello asked Long.

“Yes, I do think it’s a good idea,” Long said. “People that are going to the airport are trying to get home for Christmas, especially during this time. And it’s important to note that Jamar Clark will not have a Christmas. There will be a place setting that will not be used for Jamar Clark. So we can’t just go on living our lives when black lives are in a state of emergency or black lives are actually being harassed with terrorism. We can call terrorism on the police department. We can call terrorism, we have to call out the terroristic tactics of the police at the airport.” (RELATED: Racist Black Lives Protester Mercilessly Berates Black Police Officer [VIDEO])

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