An American woman of Indian descent has accused White House press secretary Sean Spicer of racism after an exchange in an Apple store in Washington.
Shree Chauhan, 33, challenged Spicer as he was shopping, asking: “How does it feel to work for a fascist?” – referring to President Donald Trump.
Spicer said: “It’s such a great country that allows you to be here.”
Chauhan videoed the encounter and posted it online, drawing 300,000 views since Saturday.
She has been attacked online since posting the video, with critics branding her “vile” and accusing her of harassment.
‘Impolite’
The footage shows Spicer responding to the initial barb by smiling and saying: “We have a great country.”
Chauhan, the founder of an education start-up, then asks him: “Have you helped with the Russia stuff – are you a criminal as well? Have you committed treason, too, just like the president?”
Spicer can then be heard saying: “It’s such a great country that allows you to be here.”
“What can you tell me about Russia, Mr Secretary?” the questioner persists.
Spicer then walks away saying: “Thank you very much,” while Chauhan repeats: “You know you work for a fascist, right?”
In a blog post, Chauhan wrote that she is an American citizen who was born and raised in the United States.
She said she was “stunned” by the press secretary’s comment, writing: “That is racism and it is an implied threat. Think about the sheer audacity of Spicer to say that to my face with a smile, knowing that he that he is being recorded on video and the position of power he holds in our government.”
Chauhan, who is the daughter of immigrants, acknowledged that she was “impolite” in her comments to the Trump aide.
She said she wanted to seize the “enormous opportunity… to get answers without the protections normally given to Spicer”.
Chauhan hit back at her online critics, writing on Twitter: “I have clear feelings for the man who is a fascist’s spokesperson. Nazis weren’t stopped with niceties.”
It has been claimed that Spicer’s remark – “it’s such a great country that allows you to be here” – may have meant it’s great that Americans can approach presidential aides even while they are out shopping.
The right to free speech is protected in the US by the First Amendment.
Chauhan has rejected that interpretation, saying that Spicer should have said, “it’s such a great country that allows dissent” if that was what he meant.
Spicer does not appear to have commented on the incident.