Woman charged in alleged anti-Palestinian hate crime inside Downers Grove Panera due in court

ByLissette Nuñez WLS logo
Sunday, January 12, 2025

Woman charged in alleged Downers Grove hate crime due in court
Alexandra Szustakiewicz will appear in court Monday on hate crime charges after an incident at a Downers Grove Panera.

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.

RELATED: Woman charged with hate crime after alleged anti-Palestinian attack at Downers Grove Panera: VIDEO

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.

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