A 64-year-old woman from Darien, Illinois, named Alexandra Szustakiewicz, was arrested and charged after an upsetting incident at a Panera Bread in Downers Grove, a suburb of Chicago. She confronted a man wearing a sweatshirt with the word “Palestine” on it, yelling at him and using offensive language. Things escalated when she tried to hit the phone of a woman who was recording the exchange.
Szustakiewicz was charged with two hate crimes and one count of disorderly conduct. The charges stem from the belief that she attacked the couple because of their national origin. Police were called to the scene, but Szustakiewicz was arrested the next day without issue. In court, a judge ruled that she must stay away from the victims and not return to the Panera Bread.
The incident sparked outrage, especially from civil rights groups. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called her actions “shameful” and condemned the attack on the couple, who were identified as Waseem and his pregnant wife. The video of the confrontation went viral, with over a million views online.
Waseem, who shielded his wife from the woman’s punches, told CAIR that he was simply out for lunch with his wife but couldn’t enjoy it because of his Palestinian background. This incident is just one of many recent hate crimes, particularly against Palestinians and Muslims, amid rising tensions worldwide.
In fact, CAIR reported a big increase in hate crimes this year, especially since the violence in Gaza escalated. Unfortunately, these kinds of attacks are becoming more common, and communities are worried about the growing hostility.
