Atlantic Beach man faces antisemitism accusations

A video circulating on multiple digital platforms over the past few days appears to show Atlantic Beach resident Michael DeCandia confronting two women posting flyers in the village reminding of those being held captive by Hamas in the Middle East.

Considered a terrorist group by the United States and the European Union, Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, according to Israeli officials, and kidnapping roughly 200 people. Since then, several hostages have been released while others have died. The hostages are a mix of people from Israel and other countries, including the United States.

Audrey Mordos, one of the two women who appear in the nearly 90-second video, says she sent the video to people she knows, with one of them submitting it to Stop Antisemitism — a group that describes itself as a “non-partisan U.S.-based organization fighting and exposing antisemitism.”

Stop Antisemitism posted the video on its profile through the former Twitter social media platform now known as X.

“We’re for Israel. You’re bringing awareness to nobody,” DeCandia told the women in the video. “This is a Jewish community. We know.”

“So, what’s wrong with putting up kidnap posters?” asked one of the women, who did not wish to be identified.“So, why do you come to people’s homes and vandalize with signs of hate?” he reportedly asked.

DeCandia later told the Herald the homes where the women were posting at the time of the video had residents who were Palestinian and Arab.

“They don’t want to see signs of hate,” he told the women in the video, adding they should “go to your own homes and put the (expletive) signs up.”

During the exchange captured on the video, the women repeatedly stated that Hamas “also kidnapped Arabs … and killed a woman who had 10 children.”

The exchange ultimately ended with DeCandia walking away, saying, “Have a good day.” One of the women replies with, ”Have a good day, Shabbat shalom,” followed by a few words in Hebrew.

Then, after what appears to be DeCandia giving the women the middle finger and another vulgar gesture, the woman yells, “Disgusting! Disgusting!”

Mordos later said she filed a police report. She only wants an apology.

DeCandia told the Herald he was defending his property after the women put up three hostage flyers on trees in front of his house that he took down.

“We don’t live in dreck,” DeCandia said. “We pay a lot of taxes to live here. The posters are uncomfortable to see. I don’t want things on my property.”

While he admits he “did get a little upset,” DeCandia added there are people supporting him, and called the video “a horrible mess.”

Mordos has posted hostage flyers since a week after the Hamas attack.

Although Atlantic Beach does have an ordinance prohibiting the posting of such signs, Mordos says she informed village officials about her efforts, and has not received a negative reaction.

“I don’t do this in the middle of the night,” Mordos said. “I do this during the day.”

“This is an emotionally charged situation. Bringing awareness to the hostages is a good thing. But I’m not getting involved physically.”

In a statement, Atlantic Beach village officials said they were saddened by what they saw in the video, and denounce any acts of antisemitism.

“The behavior displayed in Atlantic Beach goes against all of our beliefs and values,” according to the statement. “We stand behind Israel, and pray for the safe return of all of the hostages. We wish for a happy and healthy new year, and peace on Earth.”