Support pours in for Palestinian-owned cafe in Chicago after vandalism
CHICAGO (CBS) — A week after a Palestinian-owned cafe on Chicago's North Side was vandalized, support poured into the business. More than 100 customers showed up at the cafe after the owner said it was targeted for displaying a Palestinian flag in the window.
A window was shattered, and no one is in custody.
Much of Sunday's foot traffic at Nabala Café in Uptown came from an organized effort by the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, which asked many of their supporters to come down and support the cafe after that incident a week ago.
New surveillance footage obtained by CBS News Chicago provides a glimpse of what happened outside the cafe. The footage provided by the owner shows a man pacing back and forth late Sunday evening last week. The man appears to be on the phone at one point and then makes his way to the front of the business, where the sounds of glass breaking can be heard. This, the owner says, is when the man smashed the window and fled.
Since the news broke about the incident, many from the community have come down to support the owner, Eyad Zeid, who has only been operating the business since July. He believes it was a targeted attack stemming from the ongoing war in Gaza.
"It's been a hectic week, but it's been really nice though because the community has come out though really strongly," he said.
That community response was swift. Within hours, local artists painted a mural over the boarded-up window. A fundraising effort proved to be successful in the first 24 hours, which Zeid says showcases the true power of community.
"It's only a window, but we were able to raise funds for its repair in the first 24 hours. We really hope that this shines a spotlight on the power of community because now we're raising money for charity," he said.
The organization the owner mentioned, Middle East Children's Alliance, provides emergency relief to families in Gaza.
"This is more than just a broken window," one supporter said. "It's a message of hate. It's a message of vitriol."
The small business hopes to change the narrative and shine a light on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In less than a week, it has raised nearly $10,000 to provide emergency relief to families in Gaza, all from a broken window.
"It really shows the power of community and what happens when we support each other and come together," Zeid said.
Chicago police continue to investigate this incident but have not classified it as a hate crime.
No arrests have been made.