Former Disney Star Arrested For Antisemitic Attack

Ever since the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel in early October, Americans on both sides have found themselves at each other’s throats. Pro-Palestinian and Pro Israel protests have been fighting themselves on college campuses across the country as the war rages in Gaza, killing thousands of civilians on both sides. But this fight has also found its way into Disney-related circles, and this latest story shows just how destructive this war has been.

Related: Twelve-Year-Old ‘Harry Potter’ Superfan Killed in Hamas Terrorist Attack

Frozen (2013) actor Josh Gad found himself receiving threats after he shared a post expressing grief over the terrorist attack in Israel. StarWars (1977) actor Mark Hamill shared a relatively benign post showing support for Israel that received more than 16,000 replies, with the majority of them against his post.

The Walt Disney Company made a $2 million donation to the Magen David Adom, an affiliate of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and charities working with children in the area. But, like many other people who have tried to find some middle ground in this conflict, Disney ended up angering those who are pro-Palestinian for not offering direct aid to those children suffering in Gaza. A groundswell started online, calling for a boycott of Disney, with one user telling his followers to “pirate all of Disney’s movies so not a penny makes it to the studio.”

But now, a former Disney Channel star finds herself in the middle of a violent antisemitic attack that took place in New Hampshire earlier this week.

Disney Channel Star in Hot Water

Bridget Shergalis started acting in 2005. She made her Disney Channel debut in 2011’s So Random!. She would star in 15 episodes of the show as Bridget Cook. In 2013, she joined the cast of Liv and Maddie as Stains, a recurring character that showed up for six episodes across three seasons.

When Shergalis’ role in Liv and Maddie ended in 2016, she would not have another acting role. After that, she fell off the map. That is until this week when she was arrested in New Hampshire as a part of a group that vandalized a business related to the Israeli government.

According to the New Hampshire Journal, Shergalis and two other women were arrested at the Elbit facility in Merrimack, New Hampshire, armed with spray paint and incendiary devices. All three were charged with criminal trespass, riot, and sabotage. According to the Merrimack police report:

Officers discovered the front of the building had been spray painted with red paint, windows had been smashed, and at least one of the main lobby doors had been locked shut via a bicycle anti-theft device.

On the surface, this seems like a protest gone wrong, but it is significantly more than that. Israel-based Elbit Systems of America’s parent company is Israel-based Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest defense contractor. The Palestine Action US group took credit for the attack. It claims its mission is “dismantling Elbit Systems and the Zionist War Machine.”

Police have not decided if this vandalism and attack on the Jewish Community is a hate crime. The Anti-Defamation League reports that since the Israel-Hamas war began, there has been a 300 percent increase in antisemitic incidents around the country. This includes attacks on Jewish organizations and the Jewish Community as a whole. This does not include hate speech online, which has also increased.

Bridget Shergalis was released on a $5,000 bond. Authorities did not release any further statements on the matter. The New Hampshire Journal reached out to A3 Artists Agency in Los Angeles, but they did not respond. A3 represented Shergalis during her acting career.

We will continue to update this breaking news at Disney Fanatic.