CHELSEA — A Long Island businessman who police said assaulted a protester during a Black Lives Matter march has stepped down as head of his probiotic yogurt bar business, the company announced Monday.
Saverio Pugliese attacked filmmaker Betty Yu when she tried to take his picture outside Chelsea sushi restaurant Momoya during the April 29 protest of Freddie Gray's death in Baltimore, according to police.
Pugliese had shouted “White lives matter! Our lives matter!” at the crowd and told women to "get raped," according to Gothamist, which first reported the incident.
On Monday, Greek yogurt bar company Be Active announced that Pugliese, 49, had resigned his position as president.
The company announced Monday that it was "incredibly distressed to learn that one of our executives was involved in a verbal altercation during a protest in New York City this past week.”
“We believe in equality and respect at every level. Therefore, and as a result of our core values, effective immediately, Sam Pugliese will step down as president, and our vice president, Joseph Rienzi, will assume the role of interim president," Be Active said in a statement.
Pugliese, of Manhasset, was given a desk appearance ticket for assault and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors.
Pugliese declined comment.
