TikToker arrested after wrecking Greek flags at NJ restaurant thinking they were Israeli
An anti-Israel TikToker who amassed millions of views for wrecking a decorative string of Greek flags that she confused for Israeli outside a New Jersey eatery was busted for the ludicrous blunder.
Amber Matthews, 23, was charged with bias and intimidation on Tuesday for ripping down the Greek flags attached to the awning of Efi’s Gyro in Montclair on March 11, according to the Montclair Police Department.
Matthews, who goes by “Ambamelia” on social media, posted the video of her hateful rage to TikTok on Oct. 15 – more than seven months after the incident – which has since generated nearly 4.5 million views and millions more on X.
Police launched an investigation in March after owner Efi Mihalis reported that an unknown woman approached the business and tore down their string of flags and decorative lights while repeatedly screaming there’s a “genocide going on,” police said, according to local outlets.
Authorities reviewed security footage and found the suspect was in the establishment a week prior handing out fliers in support of Palestine, but had no leads until Matthews posted her now-viral video of the encounter last week.
“The time I mistakenly thought the flag for Greek was for Israel and took the restaurant’s flag down OMG,” the dimwitted TikTokker titled her video, which shows her snatching the Greek flags, screaming “look at that s–t.”
“Free Palestine, bitch!” she said loudly, asking confused-looking staff inside: “What you looking at?”
“You know there’s a genocide,” she barked at the cashier inside Efi’s, which bills itself as the “friendliest Greek restaurant in town.”
“I don’t stand for Zionism in Montclair!” she said proudly — while holding up a fistful of ripped-down Greek flags.
Two staff members eventually came out, looking confused and embarrassed for the hysterical hater — until one gently pointed out that the white-and-blue flags represent Greece – not Israel.
“What? Really? Oh, I thought it was Israel — my bad,” she responded.
“Oh s–t … it looked like Israel.”
Mihalis confirmed to the Post last week that the bizarre attack was not a skit, insisting her staff was “taken aback” when it happened.
“This was not planned nor was it calculated in any way,” she said.
“The young woman destroyed my property.”
Matthews is due back in court on Dec. 3, local outlets reported.