A 64-year-old woman from Darien, Illinois, Alexandra Szustakiewicz, was charged with hate crime for confronting a Palestinian man wearing a sweatshirt that said “Palestine” and trying to knock a cellphone out of his pregnant wife’s hands at a Panera Bread restaurant in Downers Grove, Illinois. She appeared in court for her arraignment on two felony hate crime charges and a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge. The judge ordered her to have no contact with the victims and stay away from the restaurant where the incident occurred. Szustakiewicz’s next court hearing is scheduled for December 16.
According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office and Downers Grove police, Szustakiewicz yelled expletives at the man regarding his sweatshirt and attempted to hit the cellphone out of the hands of the woman who was recording the incident. The complaint filed against her alleges that she committed a hate crime based on the perceived national origin of the victims.
The Palestinian man, Waseem Zahran, who was confronted by Szustakiewicz, mentioned that it was not the first time he had faced harassment for wearing the sweatshirt. He shared that his family has experienced harassment and threats for being Palestinian for a long time. Despite trying to deescalate the situation, Szustakiewicz allegedly hit him in the face and attempted to throw hot coffee on his wife. She continued to swing at his wife even after being told she was pregnant.
Zahran expressed his frustration over the incident, stating that he was simply out for lunch with his wife and faced such hostility because he was Palestinian. The Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations released a statement condemning the attack and highlighting the anti-Palestinian sentiment that has followed Palestinians even into their new homeland in America.
The Executive Director of CAIR-Chicago, Ahmed Rehab, emphasized the need to address such incidents of harassment and violence against Palestinians, stating that this behavior has no place in a civilized society. He also pointed out the sense of entitlement that some individuals feel in harassing native Palestinians and the need for accountability in such cases.
The incident involving Szustakiewicz and the Palestinian couple underscores the importance of promoting tolerance, understanding, and respect for individuals from different backgrounds. It serves as a reminder of the need to combat prejudice and discrimination in all its forms to create a more inclusive and harmonious society for everyone.
