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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
FSU grad student employee faces misdemeanor battery charge after 'antisemitic harassment'
A case of "antisemitic harassment" at Florida State University – which made it all the way to the U.S. attorney general's office – has resulted in a misdemeanor battery charge. The short video that went viral on social media captured an altercation between a woman, who is an FSU employee and graduate student, and a Jewish student. The woman is seen flipping off and yelling at a man sitting inside the Leach Student Recreation Center before apparently shoving the man. According to recently released court records, a misdemeanor battery charge was brought against the employee Aug. 4. The Tallahassee Democrat does not typically name individuals charged with misdemeanors. An advocacy group, Stop Anti-Semitism, started ciruclating the video and flagged FSU President Richard McCullough on the social media post saying the "assault warrants immediate expulsion." The university immediately responded to the post, condemning the act and assuring the public that the incident would be investigated. As the video spread on social media, FSU released another statement saying that the woman shown in the video "has been prohibited from returning to campus" and that charges may be forthcoming. Under the university's protocol, the altercation will be investigated by law enforcement first, then the university will take disciplinary action. The woman will be prohibited from campus until both investigations and disciplinary proceedings are complete, FSU spokesperson Amy Farnum Patronis said. Potential discipline could range from a writen reprimand to expulsion. Court records detail the encounter between the two, offering insight from each of their perspectives. 'She definitely just hate crimed me' The FSU student told police that he had just finished working out and bought a drink from the gym's in-house juice bar when out of nowhere the woman approached him and started tellling him that he was "part of a mass genocide" and "killing people," according to court records. "I was in shock," the student told police. "I didn't understand what she was saying." As he tried to ignore her, he said the woman continued to tell him he was killing people and his "family needs to die" because he was wearing an Israel Defense Forces shirt. He said that she tried grabbing his drink and sort of shoved him after she made the comment that she would pour his drink on his head if they weren't inside the on-campus gym. "But I kind of just pushed her hand away," he said. "She definitely just hate crimed me." The student said she "started screaming, '[expletive] you, the whole gym, you need to go to hell, I hope your whole family dies" as she left the gym, which is depicted in the viral video. In the 8-second clip, the woman is seen approaching and yelling at the student "Expletive] Israel, free Palestine," the woman says as she appears to bump the man or bat the phone away. "Put it on [expletive] Barstool FSU, I really don't give a [expletive]. You're an ignorant [expletive] son of a [expletive]." 'I'm very offended by it' The woman was on a spin bike, which has a view of the gym, when she spotted the man's shirt that she said she found to be "very offensive," according to court records. "I just got very upset and went down and expressed my First Amendment rights, freedom of speech, and talked to them," she told investigators. She said that she told the student he "should be ashamed" to support an army "committing severe human rights violations," as she sees photos every day of starving people and Palestinians, and "I'm very offended by it." The student, she said, began recording her as he was telling her she was "uneducated" and didn't know what she was talking about. At this point during the altercation, the woman admitted to cursing at him as seen in the video. The woman "advised she understands that she should not have handled this incident in the manner she did, and she is very embarassed," court records say. "She also displayed being very apologetic and was willing to apologize to him for her actions." Investigators asked if any extra footage, such as security cameras in the gym, would show her possibly shoving the student, and she denied ever touching him. The detective asked again if it was possible that she could have shoved him while trying to grab his smoothie to which she said, "No, I did not shove him at all; I never put my hands on him." "When I left out of Leach, I knew that was a bad idea," she told police. Survelliance footage captures similar interaction as viral clip The FSU investigator noted in court records that the woman appears to hit the man's shoulder in the viral video, causing him to lean back in a "defensive manner as if he was pushed." In his review of the gym's survelliance camera footage, the investigator saw a similar interaction as recorded in the video circulating on the internet. The woman "appears to touch [the man's] left shoulder in a shoving motion while trying to attempt to reach for his beverage," court records say. The man "can be observed leaning back in a reactionary and defensive manner while lifting his left arm up to protect himself." After that, the woman is seen walking away to grab her belongings and saying something to the gym employee as she left. The gym worker told police that he didn't even realize any argument occurred until she approached him. He said the woman said it was "unfair" and asked why they let the student in with the shirt on. The worker "advised he just let [the woman] vent, and she left the premises without any further incident." After asking the gym employee for guidance, the student immediately reported what happened. FSU said in its statement that its "commitment to swiftly and effectively respond to incidents of hate is unwavering." "We appreciate the prompt report of this incident, which allowed us to address this instance of antisemitism without delay," the university said. The viral moment even drew attention from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi who responded to FSU over social media and thanked the university for its "prompt action." 'Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Florida or anywhere else,' she wrote, adding that civil rights officials in the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney Jack Heekin of the Northern District of Florida would also investigate. Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@ Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida State employee charged after viral 'antisemitic' altercation Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- New York Post
Porsche dealership co-owner resigns over antisemitic text scandal: ‘Offensive and inexcusable'
A co-owner of a luxury car dealership in Florida is reportedly resigning after he allegedly made an antisemitic remark in a text to a customer. 'I had my Porsche rep contact the factory to secure a spot at the paint to sample line for a special color before I had someone contact you,' Pompano Beach Champion Motorsports/Champion Porsche co-owner Naveen Maraj allegedly wrote to a potential customer recently. Maraj allegedly sent the text after a customer said he was going to a different dealer, according to a screenshot from 'But as usual you behave like a spoiled Jew c— who thinks you're special but you're not. You not buying a car from me is like a gift from god.' 'This shocking display of antisemitism has no place in business and we urge clients to shop elsewhere,' StopAntiSemitism wrote on X Saturday morning. 3 A co-owner of a luxury car dealership in Florida is reportedly resigning after he allegedly sent an antisemitic text to a customer. Google Earth FOX Business has reached out to the Anti-Defamation League for comment. Champion General Manager Mike Peters told which first reported on the incident, 'At Champion, we are firmly committed to fostering an environment rooted in respect, professionalism and integrity. Incidents like this remind us of the importance of these values, and we will use this moment as an opportunity to reinforce them — both internally and in our broader relationships. 'In furtherance of those standards, Naveen Maraj has advised that he will resign from his employment with Champion and will step down from his managerial and leadership roles with the company effective immediately.' 3 'This shocking display of antisemitism has no place in business and we urge clients to shop elsewhere,' StopAntiSemitism wrote on X. Getty Images FOX Business has reached out to Champion for comment. Elsewhere in the lengthy statement, Peters called Maraj's comments 'offensive and inexcusable' but said Maraj and the customer, John Wolff, have a personal friendship, and the 'comment was not made with the intent to harm.' 'Notwithstanding, we recognize that intent does not negate impact,' he added. 'The language used was inappropriate and does not reflect the standards of conduct or mutual respect that has been a part of the Champion culture for over 38 years.' 3 'The language used was inappropriate and does not reflect the standards of conduct or mutual respect that has been a part of the Champion culture for over 38 years,' Champion General Manager Mike Peters said. Google Maps 'By way of background, Mr. Wolff and Mr. Naveen Maraj have maintained a close personal friendship for more than 14 years,' Peters elaborated. 'Over that time, they became avid fishing partners and became what Naveen believed to be a close friend. That friendship included a degree of casual banter and familiarity that, while understood privately, can easily be misinterpreted — or become wholly inappropriate — when viewed outside of that context. 'The remark in question was made in a personal capacity and was entirely unrelated to Mr. Maraj's role or responsibilities at Champion. It was a moment of misplaced informality between friends, not a deliberate attempt to offend or cause harm.' Wolff told he and Maraj hadn't spoken in six years and called it absurd that it would be acceptable within their friendship to call him a 'Jew c—.' Peters in the statement acknowledged that 'words carry weight, regardless of context or intent. We deeply regret any discomfort, concern or confusion this incident may have caused. Mr. Maraj has personally expressed his remorse and apology to Mr. Wolff.'
