A Manhattan mental health worker is out of a job after a viral video showed her trailing a group of men through Times Square and shouting antisemitic slurs, until a costumed Spider-Man performer stepped in to break it up. The footage, which she posted herself on social media, rocketed across platforms and drew sharp blowback from watchdog groups and everyday viewers alike.
What the clip shows
According to the New York Post, the woman, identified in reporting as Jennifer Koonings, filmed herself walking up to the men and repeatedly calling them "baby killers," demanding to know whether they "killed babies in Palestine" and telling them "we don't want you here." The Post reports she later uploaded multiple follow-up videos that appear to show members of the group confirming they were from Israel. In the original clip, the men mostly stay silent while the confrontation plays out in a busy Midtown corridor with tourists passing by.
Employer moves swiftly
As reported by Fox News, Inspire Mental Health Services quickly removed Koonings' biography from its website and informed her she was being "immediately terminated" after the video took off online. Fox published a screenshot that Koonings posted, which appears to show the termination email, and quoted advocacy groups who argued that her behavior was incompatible with clinical responsibilities. The outlet noted it reached out to both Koonings and the clinic for comment.
Past controversies and background
Reporting by IBTimes and other outlets states that Koonings has been an outspoken online activist on Middle East issues and previously lost a position at Mount Sinai after disputing coverage related to the Oct. 7 attacks. Public records and earlier reports describe her as a psychiatric nurse practitioner and a former sexual assault forensic examiner, roles critics say make the viral outburst especially alarming. Those sources add that the incident has stirred up fresh debate over where political activism ends and harassment begins for licensed clinicians.
Onlookers stepped in
Video filmed by bystanders shows a street performer dressed as Spider-Man stepping between Koonings and the group and urging her to stop, as detailed by the New York Post. The brief standoff never turns physical, but it unfolds in the middle of a packed tourist zone, with multiple phones recording. The men have not been publicly identified, and reports indicate there is no sign they were engaged in any sort of political demonstration at the time.
Public reaction and watchdogs
Per IBTimes, watchdog group StopAntisemitism shared the clip on its channels and argued that Koonings' conduct warranted professional accountability, a sentiment echoed by a flood of online commenters. The rapid firing and the scrubbing of her bio from the clinic website underline how quickly viral moments can translate into job fallout, especially in health and caregiving fields. Observers say the episode taps into a wider citywide tension around protest speech, targeted harassment and the basic sense of safety in crowded public spaces.
Koonings has posted responses on social media since the confrontation and shared at least one screenshot that appears to show her firing, according to Fox News. Representatives for Inspire Mental Health Services did not immediately provide a statement in the coverage that has been published, and the men seen in the video have not issued any public comment.
