In an emotional video, battered fan Yaniv Elharar makes a plea to Mariah Carey’s security, “you have to protect us too!”
Elharar, a West Hollywood resident, nurse and GLBTQ activist says he flew to Las Vegas last Saturday to see the All I want for Christmas diva at Caesar’s Palace.
According to Elharar, he and Kristofer Buckle (a rep and longtime make-up artist for Carey) exchanged Instagram messages before the concert and Buckle subsequently met him in the lobby to pick up a large bouquet of flowers and a crystal rose that Yaniv had brought for Carey.
“I’m not a stalker, I’m gay and I don’t even like Las Vegas”, Elharar told WEHO TIMES. “The only reason I ever come here is to see Mariah and she should know that her fans get hurt physically and emotionally at her show after the curtain comes down.”
The alleged assault occurred on Saturday night after Carey’s 8 pm show at Caesar’s Palace. According to Yaniv Elharar, he started taking a video of a security guard roughing up another fan who was kneeling, taking a few last minute pictures after the concert ended. Yaniv claims the security guard was dragging the fan by the collar toward the exit door, shouting “faggot”.
Elharar claims the security guard (dressed in a black suit) saw him recording the incident and freaked out…slapping the phone out of his hand and punching him in the chest and ribs, calling him a “faggot”.
Yaniv said the same security guard smacked his hand down earlier during the concert when Yaniv attempted to hand Carey a rose as she noticed him in the front row. Says Elharar, “Mariah was so sweet, she winked at me and took the rose after the guard walked away. A person behind me took a picture of Mariah singing to me with the rose in her hand.”
Based on photos of the alleged injuries provided by Yaniv, it looks like he was also punched in the face, but he doesn’t recall everything.
“I was so emotional after the concert and it happened so fast, all of a sudden I was being punched and called a faggot.” He claims the bodyguard chased him out of the auditorium, yelling “get out faggot” and that’s when he called the police.
A copy of the Las Vegas Metro PD incident report confirms that authorities responded to the Coliseum gift shop where according to Elharar “an African American security guard slapped the phone out of his hand and either pushed or punched him in the chest.” The report goes on to say “the security staff from the event had already departed for the night as they were part time employees.”
Elharar says he was taken by paramedics to the Emergency Room where he was treated for “a hypertensive crisis” with blood pressure of 210/110 and contusions on his face and upper torso.
Mariah’s reps responded to press reports saying “the alleged incident did not involve any members of her security team, and instead it was the venue’s security.”
“This was a gay hate crime”, a tearful Elharar told WEHO TIMES. “Mariah’s fans love her, but we’re not coming to her show to get hurt.”
