Millionaire banker Jonathan Kaye has been suspended from his position at a prestigious New York bank after punching a pro-Palestinian protester in a moment that has gone viral on social media.
But according to the source quoted in the New York Post, the viral video did not capture the full clash which they say began when a group of four female ‘Queers for Palestine’ supporters allegedly taunted Kaye, who is Jewish, as he returned from dinner on Saturday night.
The investment banker, 52, was threatened and doused in a mystery liquid moments before he was filmed punching a woman at a Brooklyn Pride parade, a source claimed.
Kaye who serves as a Managing Director at Moelis & Company – an investment bank with offices in Midtown Manhattan told the group they were “on the wrong side,” prompting the women to gang up on him.
Pictures reveal Kaye had blood pooled around his ankle after he was shoved to the floor.
As Kaye abruptly left the scene others looking on are heard calling him an “a**hole” and telling him to “go f*** himself”.
Moelis has now placed the senior banker on leave as it was investigating the incident, a spokesperson said: “We are aware that one of our employees was involved in a serious incident in Brooklyn on June 8. We take this matter very seriously and this employee is on leave as we continue to conduct our investigation.”
Kaye lives with his wife and kids in a $4million four-bedroom townhouse in upscale Park Slope and reportedly owns multiple properties on the street, which he rents out to neighbours.
One said she was “shocked” when she saw the footage, adding that the father-of-three always seemed “normal”, although she normally spoke with his wife.
Since the incident, Kaye had barricaded himself in his home Monday morning and neighbours have reportedly also yelled at Kaye’s children as they entered the front door.