Woman charged with hate crime after alleged anti-Palestinian attack at Downers Grove Panera: VIDEO
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. (WLS) -- A Darien woman has been charged with a hate crime in DuPage County.
Downers Grove police said 64-year-old Alexandra Szustakiewicz initiated a physical altercation with a couple at a Panera Bread because of the clothing they were wearing, which had "Palestine" printed on it.
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Szustakiewicz appeared in front of a judge in Wheaton on Monday morning not even 48 hours after allegedly approaching and berating the young couple. She is accused of committing a hate crime by reason of perceived national origin.
Waseem Zahran said he and his wife were just grabbing lunch Saturday at Panera Bread near Lemont Road and 75th Street in Downers Grove. Zahran said another customer, who we now know is Szustakiewicz, began swearing at them.
"She came closer to our face, and then started like asking, 'Are you Palestinian?' I was like, 'Yes, I am.' And then she proceeded to scream in my face like, '[Expletive] Palestine,'" Zahran said. "Yeah, out of nowhere, just out of hate."
He said it started with the expletives, but then turned even more troublesome.
"Yeah, she specifically asked, 'Are you Palestinian?' And I said, 'Yes,' and then, she started getting physical," Zahran said.
Seconds later, Zahran's wife began recording the altercation.
It shows the woman attempting to slap Zahran and seconds earlier, lunging at his pregnant wife.
Szustakiewicz eventually left the Panera Bread before Downers Grove police arrived. But she was arrested at her home and taken to the DuPage County Jail on Sunday, charged with two counts of hate crime and one count of disorderly conduct.
Meanwhile, Zahran said, the video has gone viral on social media.
"I rather have the video go out and be public about it than be quiet about it and let her get, you know, go away from it," Zahran said.
The judge granted Szustakiewicz pre-trial release on the conditions that she will not contact the victims or visit the Panera where the incident took place.
She is due back in court Dec. 16 for arraignment.
