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Halal Cart Vendor Subjected to Islamophobic Tirades by Former Obama Official | Eater NY

"I saw widely circulated videos showing the food vendor who works at the Second Avenue subway entrance at 83rd Street asking Stuart Seldowitz to leave and refusing to engage as Seldowitz repeatedly taunted him—calling him “a terrorist,” accusing him of supporting Hamas, ridiculing Islam, threatening the vendor’s family with Mukhabarat-style torture, and declaring, “If we killed 4,000 Palestinian children, you know what? It wasn’t enough!” The clips, one of which has over 35 million views, depict the vendor remaining nonconfrontational; the Street Vendor Project says it is in contact and providing support, noting the vendor feared speaking out because nearby building owners had tried to replace them with planters. Local leaders and the vendor’s allies have condemned the harassment, Gotham Government Relations cut ties with Seldowitz, and its founder David Schwartz said he will represent the vendor pro bono; the videos ultimately led to Seldowitz’s arrest." - Melissa McCart