An anti-Israel TikTok creator who gained millions of views for wrecking a decorative string of Greek flags that she mistakenly thought to be Israeli flags, outside a New Jersey restaurant was arrested for the ludicrous blunder.
Amber Matthews, 23, was charged with bias and intimidation on Tuesday for tearing down Greek flags from the awning of Efi's Gyro in Montclair on March 11, according to the Montclair Police Department. Known as "Ambamelia" on social media, Matthews posted a video of the incident on TikTok on Oct. 15, more than seven months after it happened, amassing nearly 4.5 million views and drawing millions more views on X, according to multiple reports.
Arrested for Her Big Blunder
Authorities reviewed security footage and found that the suspect had been in the restaurant a week earlier, distributing flyers supporting the Palestinians. However, they had no leads until Matthews shared her now-viral video of the incident last week.
"The time I mistakenly thought the flag for Greek was for Israel and took the restaurant's flag down OMG," the TikTokker titled her video showing her snatching the Greek flags, screaming, "Look at that s–t."
"Free Palestine, bitch!" she yells, asking confused-looking staff inside: "What you looking at?"
"You know there's a genocide," she shouted at the cashier inside Efi's, which bills itself as the "friendliest Greek restaurant in town."
"I don't stand for Zionism in Montclair!" she said proudly — while holding up a fistful of ripped-down Greek flags.
After repeatedly saying, "I don't stand for this," the workers eventually told her that the flags were actually Greek. Realizing her mistake, she replied, "I thought it was Israel—my bad."
Social Media Fury
Matthews faced online backlash after posting the video with the caption, "the time I mistakenly though the Flag for Greece was for Israel and took the restaurant's flag down OMG."
One user wrote: "Bro literally says gyros on the window. This is so embarrassing and offensive."
"Don't even know who you're fighting for," wrote another user.
"I hope you sincerely apologized to them, bought their food, & helped them hang it all back up & even better how can you only just say 'my bad'," another person commented.
Although both flags feature a similar blue and white color palette, their designs are quite distinct. The Israeli flag displays the Star of David at its center, whereas the Greek flag is adorned with a cross along with stripes of blue and white.
Matthews is due back in court on December 3, local outlets reported.
