Tanya Williams outside her shop with Kamala Harris sign and T-Shirts she designed.
On Friday, August 30 at about 1:30 p.m., a man who appeared to be homeless approached Tanya Luxury Fashion Boutique, located at 133 West 72nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues. (The store was previously called Consignment on 72nd but was recently rebranded.)
Advertisement
In the window of the store, there is a Kamala Harris poster with the message, ‘We’re not going back,’ created by the owner, Tanya Young Williams. Allegedly, the man confronted Williams, insisting that a poster of presidential candidate Donald Trump should be displayed instead. He then called her several racial slurs and spat on her.
“I’m a supporter of Kamala Harris. We have a poster of her in the window, and some of our designed merch to support her,” said Williams. People frequently stop by to take pictures with the Kamala poster outside. “It’s been a good experience for a lot of people.” But that changed on Friday.
Williams said the man initially walked by the store before returning and telling her, “You shouldn’t have Kamala in the window. You should have Trump.” Thinking it was just some casual banter, Williams responded with a smile and simply said, “I’m supporting Kamala.”
However, she soon noticed the man becoming aggressive, asking, “Well, why are you supporting her?” Williams did not want to be confrontational, so she continued smiling and reiterating her support for Kamala. She also had customers in her shop and wanted to keep the man outside.
“Kamala is not going to help the Blacks,” Williams recalls the man saying (while mispronouncing the presidential candidate’s name).
The man’s fury grew as Williams refused to engage in a debate with him. “You people, no one can talk to you,” the man said before telling Williams, “You’re such a n****r. Kamala doesn’t help the n****rs. You people don’t deserve to be here.”
Advertisement
“I realized that this was the first time in my life that anyone had ever called me the N-word to my face. And it didn’t sting,” said Williams.
Moments later, the man spat in Williams’ face. Reflecting on the incident, Williams said she briefly considered “knocking him the hell out,” but then thought, “How will this impact my children? How will this impact my business? How will this impact my tomorrow? Literally, in a fleeting moment, all those thoughts came.”
Get ILTUWS in Your Inbox (It’s Free)
In addition to running Tanya Luxury Fashion Boutique, Williams, a resident of the Upper West Side for the past six years, has been a TV personality, appearing on VH1’s Basketball Wives L.A., where she discussed being a victim of domestic violence from her now incarcerated ex-husband, Jayson Williams. She’s also a legal correspondent, a university lecturer, and a journalist whose work has been featured in numerous premier publications.
Williams called to those around her to contact the police as she attempted to subdue the man. Per the police report, “[Williams] pushed the individual away and the individual shoved her into a wall causing pain to the back of her head.”
NOTE: We asked the police three times if this is being investigated as a hate crime. All they responded with was, “The investigation remains ongoing.”
After the scuffle, some passersby and a nearby worker came over to check if Williams was okay. Many were in shock at what they had witnessed. A woman named Maria had stopped to take pictures of the incident and shared them with Williams, who provided them to ILTUWS to help identify the man who verbally abused and spat on her.
Besides the white Trump t-shirt, black shorts and sandals, the man was wearing a ‘We Stand with Israel’ pin which was ripped off along with part of his shirt during the struggle.
‘We Stand with Israel’ Pin that ripped off the man’s shirt.
“I’m very aware that he doesn’t represent the vast majority of New Yorkers or the Jewish community,” said Williams. “But there is a remnant of vile and violent people who have been emboldened by the dangerous and divisive rhetoric of Donald Trump.” She added that it’s important to be mindful of such individuals, even if we don’t encounter them daily.
Advertisement
Williams proceeded to file a police report while EMS checked on her for a possible head injury from hitting the ground. “They were very engaged in what happened,” she said, noting that they took statements from witnesses both inside and outside the store. Police cars began canvassing the area. Williams suspects the man lives nearby, as he appeared very comfortable walking up and down the street.
“You could see he was out of his mind, and that’s the problem with people being fanatical about politics, especially Trump,” said Williams. “They will do whatever is necessary in the moment to push their opinion forward, and that’s dangerous.” Williams added that it’s not freedom of speech when people resort to using racial slurs, violence, and spit to attack others.
Williams said she has no plans to take down the Kamala Harris sign she designed, nor the Kamala t-shirts and tote bags in the window, which she sells for $20 each. The proceeds are used to host events for young people about politics and Kamala Harris. “Because they need to be engaged in this conversation,” said Williams, who has two daughters. “The money helps cover the cost of buying pizza, popcorn, and margaritas. It’s all about getting them in a room as often as possible and letting them have discussions about politics.” Anyone interested in learning more about that should visit Williams at her shop.
NYC 4 Kamala T-shirts designed by Williams.
Anyone with relevant information about this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by sending a direct message to @NYPDTips on Twitter.
Thank you Bobby Panza and I Love the Upper West Side for reporting on this traumatic experience in the hopes of finding this person.
Trump gave all the disgusting pig people inspiration to crawl out of their holes. I want one of those t-shirts.
Boo hoo
?
So disgusting that this is still happening in 2024. My heart goes out to this young lady, and hopefully the perpetrator is captured soon.
Typical MAGA’t behavior. Vote.
I’m going to the store now to show my support! I’ll buy a Kamala shirt or two as well!
Awful. A request: the photo of the MAGA creep are small and low resolution; please edit with either larger and higher res photo, or add them — this would help in the identifying and reporting of the disturbed individual.
I know many UWSers vote Democratic but I find it offensive that this store owner has politicized her window. Why would you alienate potential buyers?
“I know many UWSers vote Democratic but I find it offensive that this store owner has politicized her window. Why would you alienate potential buyers?”
I love that you find a poster of Kamala Harris offensive, it’s not it’s just a poster of her, but not offended by a racist wearing a Trump shirt using hate speech and spitting at her.
Don’t mind EB, he wasn’t buying anything from you anyway.
Ew
Weirdo
You’re offended?? Geez…. maybe you’d be happier in Alabama? Big hug, Sweetie.
Terrible that this man did this, and also terrible that people in these comments are vilifying people who vote for Trump. I’m not a Trump fan, but Kamala — who no one voted for to be the Democrat candidate — is an unintelligent puppet of the corporations. She has no policies to address the existential issues facing this country. Please wake up, people. Vote for substance and not emotion (and lol, “Joy” is not a policy; we’re not in kindergarten.) Both Trump and Kamala have a storied past, but only one of them has substantive policies for the meaningful issues facing our country.
Not vilifying trump, but am curious which is your favorite aspect (choose any or all of the above) — his treason on Jan. 6 (before, during and after), refusal to acknowledge the certified vote and his loss, perpetuation of the Big Lie, conviction for using campaign funds to hush a porn star he had sex with months after the birth of his child by his third wife, the misogyny, xenophobia, race bating, cozying up to tyrants (obviously Putin, but anyone else who will flatter him), utter disloyalty to anyone who disagrees with him, the failed business and the fraud and grift that went along with them, disparaging veterans, the schoolyard taunts and bullying, the historically unmatched amount of lying, the venal greed, the incoherence and bluster, the rambling non sequiturs at his rallies, the transparent populism, flirtation with demagoguery and totalitarianism, the vilification of the press, or maybe some oldie but goodies, like the birther lie re: Obama’s birth certificate, or taking out a full page ad against the Central Park Five before the facts were in and then never apologizing after their complete exoneration? Joy may not be a policy, but neither is Hate.
Oh my goodness. Thank you, thank you, thank you. What people see in this total fraudster, crook, nasty vile indecent pig is beyond me. Thank you for your eloquent and smart rebuttal.
You forgot some critically important aspects of why nobody who cares about our Constitution should support Trump.
Trump has violated, and then openly expressed contempt for, our Constitution. He is for example on video saying “You people with this phony emoluments clause.” Separately, Trump has talked of suspending and/or terminating our Constitution. Indefensible.
Moreover, Trump uses standard-issue aspiring dictator demonizations of the free press, saying for example that the free press is “the enemy of the people.” Nobody who cares about and intends to uphold the First Amendment would say such a thing. Additionally, Trump incites to violence against reporters. Trump spent his 2020 campaign telling superspreader rallies that to see a report shot was “a beautiful sight.” (A reporter had recently been shot.) Inside our Capitol on January 6, Trump supporters assaulted reporters — Trump says they did a great thing and wants to pardon those of them who were convicted of crimes. Another Republican hostile to our free press is the Montanan Gianforte. Of that convicted violent criminal, Trump said “Anybody who can bodyslam a reporter is my kind of guy.” That statement does not meet the minimum standards for being considered civilized.
I’d bet EB wrote this too. LOL
But a convicted felon, racist, and sex offender is A-OK with you.
Got it.
There is no profounder disrespect you can show your fellow citizens than to support a “man” who lost an election but then orchestrated a vast, criminal, violent scheme to retain power as an unelected dictator.
It is weird that people still believe anything Trump says or promises. I am still waiting for that health care plan he promised 2 elections ago. He has zero plan to do anything except what provides him the most power and future money. He will ket his cronies do whatever they want because he is too lazy to do anything but sign the papers people put in front on his face.
For Harris, we often hear that she’s not really qualified for the presidency. Not qualified compared to what?
Before her selection as Biden’s vice presidential candidate, Harris was the San Francisco district attorney, the California attorney general and a U.S. senator. All of these were elected positions. In the Senate, Harris was a member of the judiciary, intelligence and homeland security committees, hardly lightweight assignments. There, she was a consistent and powerful voice for equality and justice. During the Democratic presidential debates in 2020, you might remember the way then-candidate Harris took on her opponents, including Biden, with vigor, intelligence and logic. She was a force, no doubt that was part of the reason that Biden chose her as his running mate.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/kamala-harris-president-biden-19565872.php
The misogynistic campaign against women, and in particular this woman, is as appalling as it is revealing of the never ending need for men to demand that women prove they have the right and ability to do the job-any job-that has excluded them. The revolting memes on SM that Rump has been spreading are just an embarrassment for a former president and a candidate. Redundantly using sexual acts & innuendo, as well as the belittling ones that you mentioned, as a way to explain her remarkable career in elected public service is telling of the threat capable strong female leaders pose.
Villifying? So when somebody posts a retort that’s villifying? If somebody is gonna dish it out, shouldn’t they be able to take it?
Since this is an article about the injured woman, I will keep my comments focused on her. We can all disagree about politics, but civility is important. I went by the store to show my support and it was closed. I wonder if she was injured and is unable to work. I met another person out front who was there to show support too.
It’s an article about how an innocent person was attacked by a Trump supporter.
I’m horrified that this kind of behavior is taking place in 2024. My heart goes out to Tanya!
I’d like to dispel one notion though.
“I’m very aware that he doesn’t represent the vast majority of New Yorkers or the Jewish community,” said Williams.”
He doesn’t represent ANYONE, just himself.
Please don’t make anything of the fact that he was wearing a Stand with Israel pin and assume that he is Jewish or even that he supports Israel.
Yes Horrified New Yorker, he represents only himself. Very wise and important distinction! Thank you!
Two rules of living/doing business in NYC:
1) Do not engage with crazy people on the street.
2) If running a business, do not openly champion topics that are heated. You’ll turn off a percentage of your potential clientele. Best to keep your politics to yourself.
I used to go to Gray’s Papaya all the time until he started plastering his politics all over his business. Haven’t been back even once since. I didn’t want my money going to causes which I oppose.
I’m sure this business owner never thought of your genius insight until you mentioned it here, but a person having a psychotic break could flip out over anything and nothing, including voices in their head, so I’m not sure whether this or any business owner should take your unsolicited advise. Fox News is in the tank for the p-grabber — Why don’t you go advise them to remove their tendentious business headquarters from midtown?
As a NYer, I think this time I'[l follow my own “genius” and “unsolicited” advice here by not engaging with a crazy person.
Does anyone care how the shop owner is doing? Her store is closed today? Does no one have any interest in her welfare? Stop arguing. You are not going to change anyone’s mind by insulting them. Let’s come together in community to help this shop owner!
This is just more Trump Derangement Syndrome . if Harris. Is elected it’s very doubtful this once great country would ever recover.THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH !
And with Mr. Trump we will? Because he’s known for the truth, right?
Once great?! That’s the manipulative messaging that you are mimicking from the horse’s mouth. America IS a GREAT country! With the exception of native Americans, slaves and the sex trafficked-everyone is here because they had family that believed America is great and stayed because they found it to be true.
Tearing down the country and its people is the road to dictatorship & fascism.
Being able to live with disappointment is also fundamental to adult behavior and suggesting that only one person can save us…OY!
And yet the story is about a Trump supporter who acted out violently against a shop owner.
Meanwhile, Trump to his everlasting disgrace encourages political violence.
The goons he summoned to D.C. and directed to attack the Capitol assaulted police officers. Some of them were prosecuted, found guilty, and sentenced, but Trump continually speaks in their favor, says they did a great thing, and vows to pardon them.
That is sleazy, anti-democratic, lowlife behavior, and anybody who supports the “man” who behaves that way should be ashamed of themselves, and shunned.
Again as a reminder, the story above is about a Trump supporter who acted out violently against a shop owner.
And I support this common sense wholeheartedly. Thanks for so eloquently stating what so many of us think. If you vote for a monster … and condone a monster … are you a monster yourself? Just common sense, it seems. And for Harris, having no ideas? Falls on deaf ears. Even Trump couldn’t get his stupid wall built. What original idea has Trump ever, ever had? He signs things put in front of him. He’s a lazy, scam artist/grifter who had a good teacher in the equally sleazy Roy Cohn.
I am glad she is ok and for a not so great reason to learn about her and her business and her productivity as a citizen in the community.
The loser who assaulted her and committed this hate crime is exactly what we don’t need – an unproductive, poor excuse for a citizen. I will take hard-working immigrants who increase our GDP any day. Lock him up. I’m sure he has mental illness too so maybe address that as well. An increasing double whammy we have with our criminal element.
I love her bravery, I love the well-articulated criticisms here of the GOP candidate who is the worst blot on America who ever lived, I love our city. Stay safe, everyone!
Hope all you wonderful neighbors that are singing the praises of the amazing Kamala Harris are also working to get her elected. Debate is good but doing the work is what will get her elected! Let’s get to work!
I’m probably mistaken, but doesn’t the miscreant in the photos look an awful lot like RFK Jr.? He’s certainly a passionate DJT supporter (these days).
Maybe a larger photo would be helpful.
The man responsible for the attack on a store owner has been a menace on the UWS for years. A number of the tenants in his building has given his name and address to police. ILUWS, please follow up on this story. The police must take action.
Thank you EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT! He does not represent the UWS and I won’t stop until he is off the street.
– Tanya
How are you doing? Has there been any follow-up regarding your assailant? I’m out of town but will visit the store when I have a chance. Keep doing what you’re doing!
Voting for Harris is going backwards.
Let me know where your comedy show is currently playing. You are hilarious!?
And you think voting for Trump is going forward? Or will you just pout and not vote at all? I am stumped by some people, I truly am.
Whereas voting for Don “Quixote” Trump is taking a flying leap off the side of a cliff. I for one am all in favor of backing up from the abyss of madness.