A restaurant in Miami Beach that has been hit by hate before was targeted for the third time as surveillance video captured a man stealing an American flag.
The owner of Bagel Time Cafe said this third attempt didn’t have anything to do with his support for Israel.
On Friday, at around 7 p.m., a man was seen walking up to the cafe and noticed the flags as they hung proudly along the Alton Road restaurant. But this time around, the suspect ignored the Israeli flags and tore down the American one.
“He’s taking the American flag,” said Josh Nodel, owner of Bagel Time Cafe. “I mean, come on, you gotta be out of your mind.”
This latest incident marks the third time a person has committed a crime against Nodel’s signs.
“Oh, come on,” Nodel said
Mordechai Brafman, a frequent customer of Bagel Time Cafe, said his heart breaks for his community.
“It’s absolutely abhorrent to see this kind of vandalism for not only showing pride for Israel, but pride for the United States,” said Brafman.
Brafman said there are months that he eats breakfast and lunch at the restaurant every day and cannot believe what people are capable of.
“To see this level of fragmentation and is, is very, very unfortunate,” said Brafman.
Back in October, a man sprinted out of a yellow mustang as he rode down Alton Road. He then ran up to slash a pro-Israel sign.
Nodel taped the sign back together.
A few week later, 24-year-old Nour Abaido from Coral Springs, was caught and cuffed for the crime.
Not even a month later, a woman completely ripped down a pro-Israel sign, threw it into the middle of the street and stomped on it. Police are still on the hunt for her.
“It’s disappointing somewhat, you know,” Nodel said.
Nodel now hopes that this third time will be the last time. Still, he knows that he could replace the stolen flag, but what can never be taken is his pride for Israel and America.
“This is gonna make us just get stronger and stronger,” he said. “Like we say, ‘Am Yisrael Chai,’ we’ll defeat Hamas, that’s it.”
Nodel said he will be speaking to police about this flag fugitive. In the meantime, he plans on replacing it.
As for Brafman, he hopes the new year lightens in the anger in so many people’s heart.
“I’d love to see some unity and people coming together and fighting less and being together more,” said Brafman.
Police are still searching for the woman who took the pro-Israel sign, which has since been replaced.