Spike Lee was involved in an altercation while dining at Yankee Stadium after a disruptive patron addressed the Oscar-winning director with explicit comments about Palestine.
On Wednesday (Sept. 30), in a clip first posted by Andy Slater, Lee, 69, is seen shouting angrily at an unidentified person off camera while being physically restrained. “Why’d you come over to me?” Lee, clad in New York Yankees gear, yells as someone who appears to be a restaurant employee gestures toward the filmmaker’s intended target, motioning for them to leave the premises.
According to The New York Post, before the tense exchange, Lee was in a jovial mood, interacting with other patrons and posing for photographs with fans. However, when one man began to heckle Lee by reportedly telling him to say, “Fuck Palestine,” the Brooklyn native became incensed, prompting his fiery tirade captured on camera. Multiple accounts say security escorted the patron at the center of the fray out.
The viral moment comes several months after Lee made headlines after being seen carrying a bag bearing a Palestinian flag during NBA All-Star Weekend, an outward show of support for the embattled nation amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
He later addressed the mixed reactions to his choice of accessories, doubling down on his solidarity while clarifying it was not an intentional jab at Portland Trail Blazers All-Star Deni Avdija, who is of Israeli descent.
“There has been some conjecture about what I wore to the games on Saturday and Sunday. The clothes I wore are symbols of my concern for the Palestinian children and civilians, and my utmost belief in human dignity for all humankind,” Lee wrote at the time.
“What I wore was not intended as a gesture of hostility to Jewish people or to support violence against anyone, nor was it intended as a comment on the significance of Deni being an All-Star.”
Despite Lee’s moment of rage, the Do the Right Thing creator eventually simmered down, as the Yankees rallied to a 9-2 win over the Boston Red Sox, securing a 2-0 lead over their heated rivals in the MLB’s American League Wild Card round.
