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In recent weeks, unpleasant scenes have occurred on New York’s Upper East Side. Several videos show a man attacking the Egyptian-born mobile food stall operator with Islamophobic insults.

After the videos circulated on social media, the man was identified. Particularly spicy: the man, Stuart Seldowitz, is a former Obama-era National Security Council official.

Since November 8, Seldowitz had been harassing the 24-year-old Egyptian man at his halal food stall, a representative of the street vendors told CNN. The videos show Seldowitz making derogatory comments about Islam, mocking the man because of his nationality and accusing him of supporting Hamas. The seller asks Seldowitz to leave several times. He answers that it is a free country – unlike Egypt.

In another conversation, the former official accuses the young man of supporting the murder of innocent children. Faced with the same accusation, Seldowitz responds: “If we killed 4,000 Palestinian children, guess what? It wouldn’t be enough!”

Seldowitz has now been accused of intimidation and stalking, as several American media report. He expressed regret to the New York Times about some of the statements he made. He regretted attacking the man’s religion and insisted he was not Islamophobic.

The United States has experienced an unprecedented increase in the number of reported anti-Arab and anti-Muslim incidents since October 7, CNN reported. The tensions are especially noticeable in New York, where demonstrations take place almost every day, writes the New York Times. Anti-Semitic hate crimes have also increased dramatically.

However, the incident at the halal snack bar also caused a large wave of expressions of solidarity, writes Documented magazine. After videos of the verbal attacks emerged on social media, both regulars and new customers showed their support and formed long lines outside the food stall. The seller told the magazine that there were also many Jewish people among his customers. He is very grateful for the support and for everyone who stood up for him in this situation.

(haha)