Staples Employee Cancels Printing Order Over 'Zionist' Message, Accused of Discrimination

Incident Overview

• 💡 A Black Jewish activist, Ellie Chevra, alleges that a Staples employee in Mid-Wilshire canceled her printing order.
• 🎯 Chevra claims the cancellation occurred because the employee deemed her order, which included the word "Zionist," to be racist.

Activist's Account

• 🗣️ Chevra states she was trying to print postcards for an event, one mentioning "Zionist" and another about "Jewish joy."
• 😠 She describes feeling nauseous, enraged, and disappointed, interpreting the incident as a mix of colorism, anti-Black racism, and anti-Semitism.
• 🧠 Chevra explained her personal understanding of Zionism as a return to the homeland after 2,000 years, which the employee reportedly found disappointing.

Company Response and Investigation

• 🏢 Staples has acknowledged the incident and stated they are investigating the circumstances.
• ✅ The company affirmed its commitment to serving all customers and ensuring respectful interactions.
• 🚫 Staples declined an interview but provided a statement emphasizing their commitment to service.

Wider Implications and Protest

• ⚖️ Chevra's lawyer views the incident as part of a larger systemic problem of anti-Semitism and Jew hatred that needs corporate-level attention.
• ✊ A small protest gathered outside the Staples store, which Chevra appreciated as a reaffirmation of the belief in uniting people through meaningful dialogue.

Employee's Response

• 📹 The employee involved posted a video defending his actions, but this video and his social media account have since been deleted.
• 🎤 Efforts to get a comment from the employee have been unsuccessful.