Woman charged in alleged anti-Palestinian hate crime inside Downers Grove Panera due in court
WHEATON, Ill. (WLS) -- A suburban woman facing hate crime charges is expected in court Monday.
Her case involves a confrontation that was recorded inside a Panera restaurant in Downers Grove.
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Alexandra Szustakiewicz is facing hate crime charges and will be arraigned Monday.
Dowers Grove police said she started a fight with a couple at a Panera, because of what they were wearing.
Waseem Zahran said he and his wife were grabbing lunch when Szutakiewicz began screaming at them for wearing a shirt that had the word "Palestine" on it.
In a viral video , the 64-year-old woman is seen attempting to slap Zahran and then lunging at his pregnant wife. She is charged with two counts of hate crime and one count of disorderly conduct.
A judge has ordered Szustakiewicz to not contact the victims or visit the Panera Bread where the incident took place. She will be back in court at 9 a.m.
