Woman says Staples canceled printing order over 'Zionist' message
LOS ANGELES - A Staples employee refused to print materials for a Black Jewish activist, calling the material racist.
The confrontation between the employee and customer was recorded on video.
What we know
Elisheva Rishon captured the tense exchange inside the store on camera. She said she started recording because she was excited to show the completed order to her online followers, but quickly realized there was a problem.
"We're not able to print anything that has any racist messaging," the employee said in the video. Rishon questioned his reasoning, and he said he took issue with the word 'Zionist.'
Rishon said she placed two orders on Monday at the Mid-Wilshire Staples. The first order was a pink postcard that included the word 'Zionists' and another that had the words 'Jewish joy.'
Rishon said the employee lured her to the store on Monday night by telling over the phone that her order was ready for pickup. But when she arrived, the same employee told her the job had been canceled because of its content.
"I thought at first the problem was a lack of education, a difference in interpretation, so I told him my personal opinion of what Zionism is, is to return to your homeland after over 2,000 years. And he was very disappointed with that response," Rishon told FOX 11.
"I felt nauseous. I felt enraged. I felt disappointed, disheartened. So it was colorism mixed with anti-black racism mixed with antisemitism all at once," she added.
Her attorney, Gerard Filitti of The Lawfare Project, said the incident constitutes a civil rights violation.
"That's not just antisemitism in theory—that's antisemitism in practice," Filitti said. "You cannot discriminate on the basis of religion or national origin, among other things."
Filitti said the incident is part of a broader issue.
"This is part of a systemic problem of antisemitism, of Jew-hate, that needs to be addressed at the corporate level," he said.
The other side
Staples declined an interview but said the company is aware of the incident and investigating the circumstances involving the interaction.
They released a statement that read in part, "Staples remains committed to serving all customers and we continue to work hard to ensure respectful and professional interactions in all situations."
The Staples employee posted his own video response, defending his actions, but that video has since been deleted from social media. His Instagram account has since been deactivated, and he could not be reached for comment.
Local perspective
On Wednesday, a small group gathered outside the store in protest. Rishon said she didn't organize the gathering, but welcomed the support.
"It gives me a sense of renewal, and it reaffirms my belief that if people actually get to know each other—if they actually have meaningful dialogue—we can unite and recognize completely when something is absolutely horribly wrong and violates every type of civil rights," she said.
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