Antisemitism in NYC: Palestinian Esthetician Eman Masoud 'Humiliated' Jewish Couple Asking For Parking Help

The shocking video—quickly deleted, yet still viewed by millions—unveiled a disturbing moment of bigotry and political coercion in the middle of a mundane New York City parking lot. An unsuspecting Jewish couple, struggling to pay for their parking, asked a woman for help. The response they received was not assistance, but a ruthless public humiliation, all broadcast by the woman herself on social media.

The woman, Eman Masoud, a licensed esthetician and founder of the Staten Island organic skincare company Pure with Nature, boasted in a now-deleted TikTok about shunning the couple, repeatedly refusing to cover their meter unless they first said two words: 'Free Palestine.'

The incident, which occurred at a pay station in a parking lot, immediately sparked an intense wave of condemnation online. The video, originally posted by the hijab-wearing entrepreneur, reveals a chilling thought process: she first insisted on gauging whether the couple were 'Zionists' before agreeing to perform a simple human courtesy.

The entire episode, from the humiliation to the subsequent rant, has fuelled a growing debate over the intersection of political activism and blatant antisemitism in public life.

The Humiliation: Eman Masoud's Political Demand in a Parking Lot

The account of the confrontation, which was shared publicly by Eman Masoud on her popular TikTok account (with over 13,000 followers) before being preserved by watchdog groups like StopAntisemitism, details the esthetician's 'joy in humiliating a Jewish couple who asked her for help.'

Masoud begins the unsettling video by setting the scene for her followers: 'I was just at one of those kiosks and this couple comes up to me that is clearly—clearly—you know what, I'm not even going to say what they are, I'm going to let you guys guess depending on the story.'

The couple, who were simply struggling to pay their parking ticket, offered Masoud cash if she would cover their meter, a request she callously turned into a political transaction.

She recounted telling them directly, 'I'll do it if you say 'Free Palestine.''

The demand visibly stunned the couple. Masoud said the woman was immediately 'taken aback and remained silent', while her 'horrified' husband replied, 'Excuse me,' prompting Masoud to repeat her political demand.

Masoud then claimed the husband replied using the Arabic word for 'no.' This refusal only enraged Masoud further.

She recounted erupting at the man, saying, 'So they even took our language,' before berating him for looking away. She then pressed them to say the 'two words' again before she stormed off and shared her disturbing rant online.

Masoud concluded her viral rant by saying, 'Like the audacity, the fact that you know who you are, cause not all Jews are Zionists, we know that, but I was like maybe, maybe they're not', the 'twisted esthetician' raged.

She then added, 'So the fact that you know who you are, you had the audacity to ask me to help you, knowing who I am based on what I look like, based on what you look like and how you feel, had the audacity to ask me for help out of everyone, you know what, go screw yourself.'

Public Condemnation: The Fallout From Eman Masoud's Antisemitic Tirade

Eman Masoud's antisemitic tirade rapidly spread across social media, leading to swift and widespread condemnation. Users were unified in their criticism, condemning her for intentionally humiliating an innocent Jewish couple seeking simple assistance, turning a routine civic moment into a scene of political coercion.

The commentary focused less on the confrontation itself and more on the audacity of Masoud's boastful video. One user on X (formerly Twitter) summed up the institutional concern, saying, 'First, humiliating Jews in a parking lot does nothing to help Palestinians,' adding, 'And second, since when is it normal in New York to be 'shocked' that Jews approach you, and to broadcast it online as if that reaction were justified?'

Another user directly addressed the broader cultural issue, stating, 'The Free Palestine movement has become nothing more than a convenient excuse to be loudly and proudly antisemitic.'

This perspective argues that political activism is increasingly being used as a shield for actions motivated by religious and ethnic hatred.

The backlash quickly turned personal, targeting Masoud's business, Pure with Nature, given her status as a licensed professional. The incident serves as a stark example of how personal biases—and the choice to broadcast them—can instantly translate into professional controversy.

Despite the intense scrutiny and the severity of the allegations, Masoud did not immediately respond IBTimes UK's request for comment regarding the incident. The core issue remains: an act of basic human kindness was brutally conditional, exposing a disturbing willingness to leverage political demands to inflict public humiliation.