A violent confrontation in San Francisco's Financial District has left a local chef, who appeared on Netflix's "You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment," recovering after being attacked and subjected to racist slurs. Wendy Drew was targeted by a male assailant while exiting a restaurant on Sunday evening. According to CBS San Francisco, the incident was captured by a security camera outside Drumm Liquor and Deli, showcasing the terrifying moment the attack unfolded.
Drew described the attacker as a "pretty normal" looking man with a dog who verbally assaulted her with the N-word before physically attacking her. "This guy looks pretty normal, with this dog, walks by and he calls me the N-word, right? And I was like, excuse me, why are you calling me that? So he comes back and says what? Then he starts pummelling, and just knocks me down," Drew said, as per CBS San Francisco. Drew's efforts to fend off her assailant lasted for nearly five minutes as she attempted to block his punches and later chased him up the street, where staff and customers from a nearby restaurant ultimately detained him.
The police identified the attacker as 31-year-old Irvin Rivera-Lara, who was apprehended and charged with assault likely to cause great bodily injury, committing a hate crime, and providing false information to a peace officer. CBS San Francisco reported that Rivera-Lara had previously been booked on battery charges for an attack on a different chef outside of an establishment last year. Drew's sister, Pam, suggested that the attacks were not random but motivated by hate: "When he obviously sees Wendy, he sees a black woman, and what is the trigger word for black people, the n-word," she said, per CBS San Francisco.
Omar Idlabi, owner of Drumm Liquor and Deli, commented on the frequency of such incidents at his store, expressing sympathy for Drew and outrage at the attack. "I feel sorry for her. Really, very sorry," Idalbi said. "Like she's a lady and the guy, he should be in jail," Idlabi said, as cited by CBS San Francisco. Meanwhile, NBC Bay Area recounted Drew's thoughts on her resilience during the attack: "I'm really grateful that although I was being beaten, I was thinking, 'How do I get this person off the streets?'"
The aftermath of the assault has been a mixture of fear and anger for Drew and her sister. Speaking to the city and women in particular, Drew's story serves as a harrowing reminder of the unexpected nature of such attacks. As she recovers, she underscores the importance of vigilance and safety awareness.
