As previously reported on VIN News, the incident took place on May 24th when subway rider Yossi Wolfe took issue with a statement made by a fellow passenger identified as Shauntaye King of Brooklyn.

King had scolded seated African American passengers on the Bronx-bound 4 train for not getting up for a mother with three children, telling them that they would have accorded that courtesy to the family had they been Jewish.  Wolfe asked King not to make any “racist” remarks, resulting in a verbal explosion, part of which was filmed by a fellow rider and was posted to Twitter where it attracted a large audience.

In an interview with the New York Post, King said that the video showed only part of her approximately seven minute long exchange with Wolfe.  According to King, her anger stemmed from a combination of factors: Wolfe reportedly saying that black people aren’t treated unfairly in America, being called a racist and her personal concerns about police violence against black people.

“I feel as a black woman, every time I see a black man get shot, every time I see a black man getting harassed by the police, how I have to tell my son to behave if there’s authority in his presence,” said King. “That hurts my heart.”

King said that her husband had been pulled over police days before the incident for inadvertently going through a stop sign. She said that he and a friend were detained by police for more than an hour while they searched his car for drugs, saying they smelled marijuana.  He was ultimately released with just a traffic ticket.

King defended her remarks to Wolfe, saying that none of her statements could have been construed as anti-Semitic, derogatory or hateful.  Wolfe’s allegations that she was a racistand was anti-Semitic were completely unfounded, observed King, who is black but said she has a white mother.

“I understand the definition of racism,” said King. “You cannot be a racist if you don’t feel superior. I don’t know any black people who feel superior to the white race … my comments did not signal or identify any thoughts of superiority I may have.”

VIN News contacted King on Facebook but she declined to be interviewed saying, “I actually am not inclined to speak to any Jewish news outlets for fear they may try to depict my words as anti-Semitic [sic].  However, I will say this. I have never or would never be prejudice [sic] toward any religion. I have a high regard for all people’s faith and what I said was merely a statement toward my fellow black people on the train. Just because something is not known in your communities doesn’t mean it’s not common knowledge in ours.”

King expressed a similar sentiment to Wolfe as she left the train at the Atlantic Avenue station, telling him, “You’ll never know what it’s like if the police come in contact with your kid or your husband and if they’re ever gonna make it home.”

That statement was punctuated with a two word expletive, the only part of the entire lengthy exchange that King said she regrets.

“The majority of the Jewish race is white and they don’t walk the streets we walk in,” said King, who dreams of becoming a lawyer and becoming involved in civil rights. “They don’t have to worry if they’re gonna get rented to. They don’t have to worry about getting welfare.”

Last week’s incident does not appear to be the first time that King has vehemently expressed opinions that may be unpopular with others.  A March 27th Facebook post that criticized someone for not giving up their seat to a child read, “Just had to shame this man into letting a child sit down.” 

Another Facebook post described anyone who voted for President Donald Trump as “a pig,” adding, “I have to deduce your character to a predator, bigot and racist if you’re willing to support that even a little bit. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

King also has multiple profanity-laced posts on her Facebook page slamming the MTA for subpar service including one where she details coming late to pick up her child from school because of train delays and ends with the words “MTA I [expletive deleted] hate you” and another that starts with the words “My daily MTA New York City Transit rant NOT GIVNG A [expletive deleted] WHO DOESN’T LIKE IT BTW.”

While King felt little remorse over her remarks, five days after posting the video, Twitter user chrisfrench_ said that posting the footage was a mistake.

“Didn’t think video would go as viral as it has,” tweeted chrisfrench_.  “I myself have been called a racist just for posting, which is weak, but no matter. I regret posting now, because everyone has run rampant with the ‘angry black woman’ narrative and it’s really disheartening.”