A controversy that began with a now-viral video of a man pasting anti-Israel posters in New York has culminated in serious professional consequences for the individual involved. Indian-origin American oil analyst Kurush Mistry was terminated from his role at Freepoint Commodities after footage of him and his partner affixing controversial posters and harassing a Jewish American went viral online, sparking widespread debate about hate speech, protest tactics, and public responsibility.
The incident unfolded on November 9, 2023, near West 68th Street and Riverside Boulevard in Manhattan, when a video recorded by a passerby captured Mistry and his partner, Shailja Gupta, covering up posters showing Israelis kidnapped by Hamas with new posters that included slogans like “Israel is an apartheid state and commits genocide” and “Occupiers face consequences” — examples of anti-Israel posters that quickly spread across social media.
As the couple affixed these posters, a Jewish American man approached them, questioning their actions. The exchange quickly escalated: Mistry told the man to “go back to your country,” and both he and Gupta made obscene gestures and used profane language toward him. Many onlookers and later viewers condemned the language and conduct as racist and antisemitic, intensifying the controversy surrounding the display of anti-Israel posters.
Within days, the posted video, widely circulated by journalist Andy Ngô on X (formerly Twitter), had been viewed by thousands and shared across multiple platforms. Public reaction was swift, with critics denouncing the incident as a clear example of hate speech rather than legitimate protest. The prominence of anti-Israel posters in the video made the situation even more sensitive, given the broader context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and heightened tensions around public demonstrations and activism.
Faced with mounting backlash, Freepoint Commodities, a Stamford, Connecticut-based commodities trading firm where Mistry had worked as an oil analyst, issued a statement condemning discrimination and hate speech. The firm emphasised that while it supports diversity of views among its employees, it has “zero tolerance” for discriminatory actions or conduct directed against any group — and confirmed that Mistry “is no longer associated with Freepoint.”
Mistry’s dismissal reverberated through discussions about how individuals’ extracurricular political actions can affect workplace standing. Some commentators argued that engaging in activism — even controversial activism involving anti-Israel posters — falls under free expression, while others insisted that actions perceived as targeting a specific community cross a line from protest into harassment or discrimination.
Adding another layer to the episode, Mistry and Gupta later issued a public apology acknowledging that their behaviour had been inappropriate. In a statement released through a public relations firm, they expressed regret for their words and actions, saying they were “ashamed” of the confrontation and hoped to apologise directly to the Jewish American man involved. The couple insisted they did not support violence or terrorism, and that their protest had been intended to draw attention to the plight of Palestinians but had been “misguided and thoughtless.”
Despite their apology, the incident highlighted how public demonstrations or messaging involving anti-Israel posters can be interpreted very differently by different audiences, especially in a climate of heightened geopolitical sensitivity. For many observers, the visual and verbal conduct captured in the video overshadowed any intended messaging and instead became associated with intolerance or bigotry.
Social media reactions from various corners were swift and polarised. Some defended Mistry’s right to protest and express his views on the Israel-Hamas conflict, even if controversial. Others condemned both the content of the anti-Israel posters and the manner in which the couple engaged with the Jewish American man, calling for accountability and emphasising the importance of respectful dialogue in public discourse.
Public discourse following the viral spread of the video also touched on broader issues of how protests are conducted and how symbols or messaging — such as posters, slogans, or graphic imagery — affect public perception. Incidents involving anti-Israel posters have cropped up in other protests and demonstrations around the world during times of conflict, prompting discussions about when such messaging crosses into offensive or discriminatory territory, and how society should balance freedom of expression with respect for individual groups.
For Mistry, whose background included previous employment at firms such as Morgan Stanley, Barclays Capital, and Lehman Brothers, the consequences were immediate and far-reaching. His LinkedIn profile, which once detailed a decade of work at Freepoint Commodities, was quickly updated to reflect his termination, and he became the subject of numerous online discussions about how professional reputations can be impacted by off-duty conduct.
Experts on workplace culture point out that in an era of social media and digital documentation, employers are increasingly sensitive to actions by employees that can be tied back to their companies. Even if personal conduct occurs off-duty, the public nature of the internet can blur lines between private opinions and corporate association, especially when anti-Israel posters or similar polarising symbols are involved.
In the aftermath, many voices called for greater emphasis on constructive, respectful dialogue in protests and public expression. Activists and commentators alike stressed that protests involving contentious issues such as the Israel-Hamas conflict should be conducted in ways that avoid personal attacks or dehumanising rhetoric, ensuring that messaging — including anti-Israel posters — does not fuel division or hatred beyond those central issues.
The Kurush Mistry incident thus serves as a potent example of how quickly ordinary civic actions can escalate into major controversies when amplified online, and how conduct — especially involving public demonstrations and charged symbols like anti-Israel posters — can carry real consequences for individuals and organisations alike in an interconnected media landscape.