Wall Street Analyst Fired After Anti-Semitic Remarks and Accusations

Edited by:  Fern Sidman

In a disturbing incident captured on video, a Wall Street analyst, identified as Kurush Mistry, has faced swift repercussions, including termination from his position at Freepoint Commodities, as was reported by the New York Post. The incident unfolded as Mistry, accompanied by his partner Shailja Gupta, was filmed covering hostage posters with signs accusing Israel of being an “apartheid state” committing “genocide.” The Post report added that the video, which was first shared by journalist Andy Ngo and has since gone viral with over 6.5 million views, also captures Mistry telling a Jewish American to “go back to your country.”

Freepoint Commodities acted promptly in response to the incident, confirming Mistry’s termination in a statement. As was noted in the Post report, the company statement emphasized the company’s commitment to welcoming diverse views and opinions but clarified that discrimination and hate speech directed against any group will not be tolerated.

Their statement said that they are “aware of the recent anti-Semitic incident reported on social media, and the individual involved is no longer associated with Freepoint,” as was reported by the Post.

This decisive action reflects a commitment to maintaining a workplace free from such behavior.

The video shows Mistry and Gupta reacting defensively when questioned about their actions by a bystander. Gupta, in particular, responds angrily, using offensive language and accusing Israelis of being “rapists,” according to the Post report. The couple’s aggressive behavior further fueled the controversy surrounding the incident.

Journalist Andy Ngo, who initially identified Mistry, reported that the video was filmed at the intersection of 68th Street and Riverside Boulevard last Thursday, as indicated in the Post report. The footage includes confrontations between the couple and a person inquiring about their decision to cover posters related to hostages held by Hamas terrorists.

Mistry’s holding up of a flyer during the confrontation, which accused Israel of apartheid and genocide, added another layer to the incident. As was indicated in the Post report, the exchange escalated when Mistry told the person confronting them to “go live in Israel” and “go back to your country,” to which the individual responded by asserting their American and Jewish identity.

In the video, Gupta can be heard responding aggressively to the person questioning them, asserting, “I am also a f–king American, darling … Me too, so then you f–k off as well.” The report in the Post also said that Gupta later claimed that the Jewish man does not “want my f–king country to exist,” referring to Palestine, and resorts to name-calling when corrected about the status of Palestine as a country.

The inflammatory comments and discriminatory behavior caught on video have sparked widespread condemnation.

Mistry, who had been with Freepoint Commodities for nine years, has a professional background that includes employment at Morgan Stanley, Barclays, and Lehman Brothers, according to his LinkedIn profile and reported on by the Post.

In the aftermath of the incident, Mistry refused to meet with reporters, leaving the doorman outside his luxury apartment building to handle inquiries, the Post reported. Witnesses and residents of the neighborhood expressed disbelief and disapproval of the behavior captured in the video.

Victor Defanidze, a 35-year-old legal fundraiser in the neighborhood, described the situation as “unbelievable” and emphasized that the area is typically safe. The Post report said that he expressed hope that individuals like Mistry are only a few bad apples in the community. Reflecting on Tuesday’s March for Israel in Washington DC, Defanidze expressed a desire to have been present at the event, according to the Post.

The incident underscores the importance of addressing and condemning hate speech and discriminatory behavior, even in professional settings, and highlights the responsibility of companies to take swift action against such actions within their ranks.