Israeli Couple Harassed by California Hotel Staff Member
A California hotel employee verbally attacked Israeli tourists with antisemitic slurs in an incident that drew condemnation from officials and prompted the worker's resignation.
Hotel Employee Hurls Antisemitic Slurs at Israeli Tourists in California
A disturbing incident at a California hotel has sparked widespread condemnation after a staff member verbally attacked two guests with vile antisemitic remarks, as New York Post reports. The altercation occurred Thursday at Oceanside Ranch in Cambria, with video footage subsequently circulating across social media platforms and accumulating over 400,000 views on Instagram.
The confrontation began when a female guest, reportedly holding Israeli citizenship, objected after the employee made a political statement while the couple was leaving the lobby. According to social media posts documenting the exchange, the worker responded with a barrage of hostile questions directed at the visitors.
Escalating Harassment
The video shows the hotel employee leveling inflammatory accusations, including “Are you a baby killer?” and “Are you a Zionist?” while also asking whether the male guest had served in the Israeli Defense Forces. Throughout the one-minute recording, the man remained largely silent, conversing only in Hebrew with his companion as the worker continued his harassment.
The employee has been identified as Ryan Smith, a 24-year-old reportedly on active military service. Smith subsequently claimed on Instagram that he had been terminated for “speaking up on the genocide and ethnic cleansing ongoing within the Middle East,” while describing himself as a “Free Palestine activist.”
Hotel Response and Condemnation
General Manager Angel Gonzalez confirmed the incident to the Post, stating that the conduct violated the establishment’s standards. The hotel initiated an internal review, made direct contact with the affected guests to address their concerns, and accepted the employee’s resignation.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from prominent figures. Leo Torrell, chair of the Department of Justice’s antisemitism taskforce, expressed dissatisfaction with the hotel’s response, declaring on social media that “termination is not good enough” and calling for a formal investigation into the establishment.
With information from New York Post
