A woman accused of committing an anti-Palestinian hate crime at a restaurant in Downers Grove has pleaded not guilty.
Alexandra Szustakiewicz, 64, who lives on Boulder Drive in Darien, appeared in court on Monday. She’s now facing six felony hate crime charges, according to court records.
The incident happened on the morning of November 16 at a Panera Bread located at 7361 Lemont Road in Downers Grove. Szustakiewicz allegedly shouted an expletive targeting Palestine during an encounter with a man and his wife. The situation reportedly escalated when Szustakiewicz hit the man on the head and approached the woman in a way that made her feel scared and threatened.
Initially, when Szustakiewicz was arrested on November 18, she was charged with two counts of hate crime and one count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct. But now, those charges have been upgraded to include six felonies.
For now, Szustakiewicz is free under pretrial release, meaning she hasn’t been held in custody while awaiting trial. Her next court date is scheduled for February 4.
The case continues to unfold as more details emerge, and all eyes will be on what happens next in court.
