Montclair residents blast TikToker who ripped down Greek flags thinking they were Israeli
An anti-Israel influencer is being dubbed an uneducated nitwit by members of her community after she mixed up the Greek and Israeli flags during a hateful frenzy outside a New Jersey restaurant.
Amber Matthews, 23, filmed herself ripping down a decorative string of Greek flags she thought were Israeli at Efi’s Gyro in Montclair in March — and was then arrested on Tuesday after she posted the now-viral video to her social media accounts seven months after the blunder.
“She did make herself look like one of the dumbest people on earth. How do you not know the difference?” Natalie Lee, owner of Mikki & Al’s Noshery, a Kosher deli in Montclair, told The Post.
“If you’re going to make that kind of statement, at least know your flag. I cannot imagine that someone is that uneducated that they don’t know the difference. What she did … you made people believing in their cause look like idiots. It clearly was done for likes, that’s it.”
The Post made several attempts to contact Matthews.
Matthews, who goes by “Ambamelia” on social media, posted the ludicrous faux pas to TikTok on Oct. 15, which shows her screaming, “Look at that s–t,” and “I don’t stand for Zionism in Montclair!” — while holding a fistful of ripped down Greek flags.
The video, titled “The time I mistakenly thought the flag was for Israel and took the restaurant’s flag down OMG,” has since generated nearly 4.5 million views on TikTok, and millions more on X.
Frustrated residents said they were shocked by the hostile act of vandalism in their “extremely diverse town,” explaining that a person can express their beliefs without destroying someone’s property.
“She is on one particular side, that’s her opinion. She has a right to that,” one resident said.
“She shouldn’t be speaking for the whole city of Montclair. Tensions are high everywhere.”
Another resident called Matthews “small-minded.”
“That really shows her ignorance and stupidity,” the resident said.
Throughout the video, Matthews screamed, “Free Palestine, bitch!” at restaurant workers and asked them if they knew there was a “genocide going on” and that “they’re killing children” as she eviscerated the Greek flags.
Two staff members eventually came out of the eatery, looking confused and embarrassed for the hysterical hater — with one gently pointing out that the white and blue flags represent Greece, not the Jewish state, according to the footage.
“What? Really? Oh, I thought it was Israel — my bad,” she responded.
“Oh s–t … it looked like Israel.”
The Montclair Police Department investigated the incident back in March but had no leads until Matthews posted her video of the encounter from her point of view last week, police said in a news release.
She was arrested and charged with bias intimidation and harassment.
“Montclair is a community that strives to treat all individuals with dignity and respect,” Police Chief Todd Conforti said.
“I hope this investigation sends a clear message that our agency will not tolerate any form of Harassment or Discrimination, and offenders will be held accountable for their actions.”
Matthews is scheduled to appear at Superior Court in Newark on Dec. 3, police said.
