Ruth Vered, Former Gallery Owner, Arrested

Ruth Kalb, the former owner and founder of Vered Gallery in East Hampton Village, was dragged out of an event at Tutto Il Giorno in Sag Harbor Village by the police Wednesday night, February 12.

Kalb, 80, also known as Ruth Vered, was attending a post screening discussion of the film “Conscience Point” at the restaurant, and was the first member of the audience to be given a microphone to address a panel which included Rebecca Hill-Genia, an activist and member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, Joe Shaw, executive editor of The Southampton Press, Shane Weeks, a Shinnecock tribe member, artist, and cultural consultant, and Kelly Dennis, an attorney who is also a member of the Shinnecock Nation. Bridget LeRoy, associate editor of The Independent moderated the panel.

According to two attendees at the function, for which The Independent was one of the sponsors, Vered appeared intoxicated, and began berating the panel. She was asked several times to stop, and finally her microphone was turned off and retrieved from her. She then seemed to calm down, but, later, again began yelling. She was asked to leave, but when she was being escorted out by a man not identified by police, she “pushed his face with her finger,” the police report reads.

Sag Harbor Village police were called at about 9:30 PM, and two officers went to the scene. They asked Vered several times to leave the premises, the police report says, but she refused. The officers brought her outside, and she grabbed onto the door as they were carrying her out. In a video of the alleged incident, she can be seen fighting the officers, screaming “No way,” and “Take pictures,” before striking one in the chest with her arm and kicking the other.

She was handcuffed and taken to headquarters, charged with two simple violations, harassment and trespassing. After being processed at the Division Street headquarters, she was released with a desk appearance ticket, to be arraigned in Sag Harbor Village Justice Court February 28.

t.e@indyeastend.com