ON TAXI; MAN REFUSED TO TURN OFF CELL PHONE; PHYSICALLY THREATENED PURSER. PURSER HAD CAPT RETURN TO GATE AND REMOVE PAX.

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FOLLOWING ALL REQUIRED PRE-DEP; DEP AND SAFETY DEMONSTRATION ANNOUNCEMENTS AND DEMONSTRATIONS; DURING THE ROUTINE SAFETY COMPLIANCE CHK; THE FLT ATTENDANT #1 NOTICED A PAX STILL ON HIS CELL PHONE AND CORDIALLY REQUESTED THAT HE TURN IT OFF. HE REPLIED; 'NO; WE ARE NOT TAKING OFF YET; AND DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO.' FLT ATTENDANT #1 THEN SAID 'A TOTAL OF 3 ANNOUNCEMENTS HAVE NOW BEEN MADE TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT CELL PHONES HAVE TO BE TURNED OFF NOW; AND AS A CREW MEMBER; I AM REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE COMPLIES WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN.' THE PAX THEN STATED FLT ATTENDANT #1 WAS NOT GOING TO TELL HIM WHAT TO DO AND IF SHE (FLT ATTENDANT #1) TRIED TO ORDER HIM TO DO ANYTHING; HE WOULD PULL ALL HER HAIR OUT. FLT ATTENDANT #1 LEFT AND WENT TO THE CAPT TO RELAY SIT. FLT ATTENDANT #1 WAS VERY BOTHERED AND SHAKING. THE CAPT ASKED HER TO WAIT/THINK FOR 10 MINS; WHETHER SHE (FLT ATTENDANT #1) REALLY WANTED TO HAVE PAX REMOVED OR NOT. FLT ATTENDANT #1 SAID SHE DID NOT NEED TO WAIT 10 MINS; SHE DEFINITELY WANTED HIM (PAX) OR HERSELF REMOVED. THE CAPT SAID HE WOULD RETURN TO THE GATE TO REMOVE HIM FOR HARASSMENT OF CREW MEMBERS. THE CAPT RETURNED; THE PAX WAS REMOVED; THE PAX'S WIFE YELLED AT FLT ATTENDANT #1 AT FORWARD ENTRY DOOR AND WANTED HER NAME; THEN THE PAX'S WIFE GOT OFF THE PLANE AS WELL. UNDERLYING FACTORS: GND STOP ATC HOLD AT GATE FORCED US TO HAVE A DELAYED DEP. THIS PAX AND MANY OTHERS THINK THEY CAN COMPLY WITH SAFETY REGS ON THEIR OWN DISCRETION/TIMEFRAME. THIS CAN BE CHANGED ONLY THROUGH PUBLICIZED PERSONAL PENALTIES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT SHE WAS THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT AND OVERHEARD THE CONFRONTATIONAL WORDS BTWN THE PURSER AND THE PAX. THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT THE MAN WAS TRAVELING WITH HIS WIFE; BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER. THE COUPLE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE RETURNING TO THE GATE; UNTIL THE PLANE STOPPED AND THE AGENT WALKED ON AND MADE THEM GET OFF. THE RPTR WAS VERY UPSET WITH THE CAPT AFTER HE HAD TOLD THE PURSER TO WAIT AND CALM DOWN (SHE WAS CRYING AND SHAKING) FOR 10 MINS WHILE THEY WERE STILL TAXIING; BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE RECEIVED TKOF CLRNC AT ANY TIME AND THEY COULD TAKE OFF WITH THIS PROB MAN STILL ONBOARD. SHE ALSO FELT THAT THE CAPT WASN'T SHOWING A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THE FLT ATTENDANT AND FLT ATTENDANTS IN GENERAL. SHE WANTED TO RPT HIM TO THE UNION'S PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE; BUT THE PURSER TALKED HER OUT OF IT.