NEW YORK (VINnews) – Speaking to WABC-TV, a Westchester County pizzeria owner said he was targeted and harassed outside his shop because of his faith, prompting an outpouring of local support.

Isaac Garson, who owns a pizza shop in Hastings-on-Hudson, said a group gathered outside his store holding signs and chanting political slogans. He said they pressured him to repeat their message, which he instead saying he supports peace.

Garson said the encounter escalated, leaving him shaken, especially after members of the group expressed support for the Oct. 7, 2023 attack — the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.

“It hurt,” Garson said, adding that he never expected such hostility in a small, close-knit community.

In response, residents rallied around him, with a steady stream of customers visiting the shop in a show of solidarity. One community member said the owner has long supported local families and that the town would not tolerate harassment.

Mayor Thomas Drake said authorities are investigating the incident. He described it as part of a broader pattern of testing the limits of free speech, adding that such actions can cause real harm within a community.

The confrontation was recorded and shared online.