People have been protesting for Palestinian causes all over the world for a long time. Some are met with people who disagree. Then some of those encounters stay verbal, some involve taunting, and others turn physical. A video from Massachusetts shows one woman’s encounter with pro-Palestinian protesters going somewhere stranger than any of those.
The footage leaves plenty unanswered, including who she is, what led up to the recording, and whether police were ever called.
The video was shared on Reddit by r/PublicFreakout with overlay text reading, “crazed zionist spits on protestors.” That label comes from the poster, and the post does not identify the woman or explain what led to the encounter.
The person who filmed it is not identified either. The incident took place in Massachusetts.
The clip opens with a woman in a blue shrug and gray T-shirt spitting on a group of pro-Palestinian protesters. It then cuts to her moving in what looks like a dance, with her hands in the air, jumping and making exaggerated bizarre facial expressions.
In the next cut, she is shouting at the top of her lungs and then repeats “blah blah blah” while the person recording appears to say something to her, possibly telling her to leave. She then says, “get away from me,” while moving toward them.
The video then shows her spitting on the person recording, after which she leaves the scene. A few people holding Palestinian flags can be seen as she goes.
Internet Reacts to Massachusetts Woman Spitting on Pro-Palestine Protesters
The Reddit thread drew comments about whether the incident amounts to assault, along with reactions to the woman’s behavior. One commenter wrote, “It can be argued that it is an assault with a biological agent. You don’t know what diseases she has or doesn’t have. It would be taken to that degree if it was any government official or public servant.” Another wrote, “That lady needs to be charged with assault.”
A third commenter wrote, “That’s disgusting.” A fourth sarcastically said, “You really gotta appreciate the elegant exchange of words and ideas.”
A fifth commenter wrote, “Man, we could use a good alien invasion right about now.” A sixth added, “maybe we are that crazy sketchy hood in the galaxies and they are avoiding us like a plague.”
In Massachusetts, the state Appeals Court ruled in Commonwealth v. Cohen (2002) that intentionally spitting on another person can be prosecuted as assault and battery. Under G.L. c. 265, § 13A(a), the baseline charge is a misdemeanor punishable by up to two and a half years in a house of correction or a fine of up to $1,000.
