Artists in Gaza painted a mural honoring Arianna Hamilton, a former Burger King employee who was fired after telling an Israeli-American customer, “Free Palestine,” during an encounter at a Pennsylvania restaurant, Al Jazeera reports.
The mural shows Hamilton wearing her Burger King uniform and headset alongside the words “Free Palestine” and a crossed-out Burger King logo. The outlet reported the artwork was created in Gaza in solidarity with Hamilton after the incident drew widespread attention online.
Hamilton worked at an independently owned Burger King franchise in Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, before losing her job following an exchange with musician Rami Feinstein.
Feinstein said Hamilton asked where he was from while he was ordering food for his family. He said he initially told her he was from Israel, prompting Hamilton to respond, “Free Palestine.” Video from the encounter shows Feinstein asking Hamilton to repeat the phrase before requesting a refund and leaving the restaurant.
Hamilton later disputed parts of Feinstein’s account. She said she had asked where he was from in the context of customers visiting Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley and that Feinstein initially said New Jersey before identifying himself as Israeli and showing her a Star of David necklace.
“That man did come in very aggressively. I did not ask him where he was from … like, originated from. I asked him where is he from, from the Lehigh Valley,” Hamilton said in a video posted to social media.
Hamilton said she did not consider her remark discriminatory and defended her decision to express her views.
“Absolutely, I wasn’t going to back down on ‘Free Palestine’ when he put the camera in my face,” she said. “I will forever speak on my views.”
Burger King apologized for Feinstein’s experience and said its restaurants should be places where “everyone should feel welcome, respected and free from discrimination.” The company added that it has “no tolerance for antisemitism, hate, or discrimination of any kind” and said it was working with the franchisee that owns and operates the restaurant.
After her firing, Hamilton launched an online fundraiser to help pay for rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, and other expenses while she searches for work and pursues plans to attend college. The campaign raised roughly $240,000 by Aug. 11, according to published reports
. Hamilton has said any money exceeding her needs would be partly donated to Palestinian families.The Gaza mural has since brought renewed attention to Hamilton’s firing and the debate surrounding the encounter.
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