An Illinois lady is charged with hate crimes after allegedly attacking a person for sporting a Palestine hoodie at a suburban Chicago Panera Bread over the weekend.
Alexandra Szustakiewicz, 64, of Darien, Illinois, is charged with two felony counts of a hate crime and misdemeanor disorderly conduct, in keeping with a Monday assertion from DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Downers Grove Chief of Police Michael DeVries.
In court docket on Monday, a choose granted prosecutors’ requests that Szustakiewicz haven’t any contact with the victims and that she should avoid the Panera Bread in Downer’s Grove the place the incident occurred at about midday on Saturday, the assertion mentioned.
“Szustakiewicz was on the Panera Bread when she confronted and yelled expletives at a person concerning a sweatshirt he was sporting with the phrase Palestine written on it,” authorities mentioned. “It is additional alleged that Szustakiewicz tried to hit a mobile phone out of the arms of a girl who was with the person when the lady started videotaping the incident.”
Szustakiewicz was represented by the county’s public defender’s workplace in court docket on Monday. No one with the workplace was instantly reached for touch upon her behalf.
Szustakiewicz allegedly dedicated a hate crime by “cause of perceived nationwide origin” of the victims, the assertion mentioned.
“Every member of society, no matter race, faith, sexual orientation or every other particular person attribute, deserves to be handled with respect and civility,” Berlin mentioned. “This kind of conduct and the accompanying prejudice haven’t any place in a civilized society and my workplace stands able to file the suitable fees in such instances.”
In a video posted on X, which was confirmed by Downers Grove police as being real and related to the fees towards Szustakiewicz, a girl is seen lunging at somebody holding a cellphone who’s recording the incident, whereas a person tries to cease her. The lady takes at the very least one swipe on the man, and a beverage she is holding spills to the bottom when the person crushes her cup in an try to stop her from getting on the individual recording.
The lady threatens to name the police, after which is seen once more making an attempt to go after the individual recording, whereas the person asks her to repeatedly cease.
The man is heard on the recording telling the lady, “Get away from my spouse.”
The lady, in keeping with the video, then goes as much as the money register and asks an worker to name the police.
The lady then walks towards the lady holding the digicam, and the person steps in between them, and pushes the lady, and each the person and the lady threaten to punch one another, in keeping with the video.
The video has garnered greater than 1 million views.
Szustakiewicz and her relations couldn’t instantly be reached by NBC News for remark.
The Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, also called CAIR, mentioned in a press release the incident started as a result of one of many victims wore a Palestinian hoodie.
The male sufferer, recognized as Waseem, by CAIR, mentioned within the assertion: “I’m a born and raised American who took his spouse out for lunch. I used to be not in a position to try this just because I used to be Palestinian.”
The group mentioned the feminine sufferer was pregnant and known as the suspect’s alleged conduct “shameful” and “abusive.”
No one with Panera Bread was instantly reached for touch upon Monday afternoon.