Former Obama Administration Official Arrested for Islamophobic Rant Against Food Vendor Captured on Video
Former Obama administration official arrested for Islamophobic language towards food vendor; videos shared on social media led to police action
The NYPD has arrested Stuart Seldowitz, a former Obama-era National Security Council official, after videos circulating on social media showed him using hate-filled, Islamophobic language towards an employee at a New York City food cart. Seldowitz, 64, was taken into custody on Wednesday and faces preliminary charges of hate crime/stalking, second-degree aggravated harassment, stalking causing fear, and stalking at employment.
It is uncertain what charges Seldowitz will face once the Manhattan district attorney's office takes on the case. CNN was unable to find a lawyer representing Seldowitz at this time.
Prior to his arrest being announced, Seldowitz admitted to CNN via email that it is indeed him in the videos. These videos were recorded by a vendor inside a food cart on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and seem to be from multiple days.
Seldowitz's recent online videos feature him mocking Islam, taunting a man about his citizenship status, accusing him of supporting Hamas, and referencing the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
One video shows Seldowitz accusing the vendor of supporting the killing of children, to which the vendor responds, "You kill children, not me."
Seldowitz responded, "Even if we killed 4,000 Palestinian children, it still wouldn't be enough!" The New York City Police Department informed CNN on Tuesday that a commanding officer is aware of the videos and local precinct personnel "are monitoring the situation."
The US has seen a surge in reported anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias incidents since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations. At the same time, there has been a spike in reports of antisemitic incidents across the country, with FBI Director Christopher Wray stating that the threat has reached "historic levels" and the Anti-Defamation League reporting a 388% increase in reported incidents in the weeks following October 7, compared to the same period last year.
In one of the videos posted online, Seldowitz tells the vendor, "Were going to put big signs here saying this guy believes in Hamas."
The videos depict Stuart Seldowitz, a former official from the Obama-era National Security Council, verbally attacking a food vendor with Islamophobic language during what seems to be multiple incidents.
In a separate video, Seldowitz questions the man about his knowledge of Egypt's General Intelligence Service, commonly referred to as the Mukhabarat.
"Seldowitz informs the vendor that the Mukhabarat in Egypt will harm his parents. He further adds, 'Does your father value his fingernails? They will remove them, one by one.'"
The ex-government official then raises his phone, exclaiming, "Say cheese!" before laughing. Seldowitz also makes disrespectful remarks about Prophet Mohammed, mocking Islam, which he seems to think is the vendor's religion.
Seldowitz responded to the request for additional comment on the videos via email, stating, "Happy to talk (Wednesday). What was absent from the video is what (the vendor) said before the video."
Austin Steele/CNN
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Seldowitz, 64, informed the Daily Beast that although he initiated the conversation with the food vendor about current events, the video footage only presents one perspective. According to him, the vendor provoked the interaction by indicating his backing for Hamas.
In addition, the former official admitted to City & State, "I regret the entire incident and I apologize." He continued, "But, you know, in the heat of the moment, I said things that I probably shouldn't have said."
Seldowitz was the acting director for the National Security Council South Asia Directorate in the early 2000s, as indicated by a profile page on the Gotham Government Relations website, which has since been removed. His LinkedIn profile shows that he held this position from February 2009 to January 2011 during former President Barack Obama's administration.
In a statement on the New York City-based lobbying group's website, Gotham Government Relations announced that they have cut ties with Stuart Seldowitz, stating that he has not contributed to their work in years. They described his actions in a video as "vile, racist, and beneath the dignity of the standards we practice at our firm."
Seldowitz has been berating vendor for 2 weeks, advocate says
The director of a non-profit organization advocating for street vendors in New York City informed CNN on Tuesday that the individual who captured the videos reported that Seldowitz had been harassing his food cart since November 8.
Mohamed Attia, of the Street Vendor Project, stated that the vendor explained to him that he did not start the conversation with Seldowitz.
Attia mentioned that the vendor, originally from Egypt and known only by his first name, Mohamed, has limited English skills, which makes it difficult for him to engage in extensive discussions with customers, especially on complex topics like war.
Attia told CNN that Mohamed was unsure how to respond to the guy and chose to play it safe by asking him to leave. The advocacy group expressed their shock at the racist Islamophobia portrayed in the videos and stated that the vendors were afraid of speaking out due to the risk of displacement.
"The statement posted on social media emphasizes that no one should be forced to decide between experiencing harassment or being displaced," read the post.
Attia shared that New York City Councilmember Julie Menin has contacted the organization and informed the police about the incidents.
"This is vile hate speech and harassment and truly abhorrent," Menin tweeted Tuesday. "There is no place for hate in our community and city."
