Lune Croissanterie owner apologises for ‘hurtful’ rant about hostages held by Hamas

One of the owners of the iconic Melbourne-based bakery, Lune Croissanterie, has apologized for “hurtful” comments made about Israeli hostages being held by Hamas.

Cameron Reid said he could have understood if he had been canceled after his harsh response to a private message was leaked to Daily Mail Australia, sparking backlash and calls for a boycott. In the message, he questioned Israel’s right to exist and claimed hostages taken by Hamas since the militant group launched its attack on October 7 were “lucky not to be corpses.”

Mr Reid, who runs the cult Melbourne croissanterie with his sister Kate, shared a post on his personal Instagram account on Saturday calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

A follower then replied to the story post: “Should Hamas release the hostages or that doesn’t matter?”

The question sparked a heated response from the business owner, who called the follower a “troll” for their reply.

“Should Israel exist? Should the Palestinian people be the victims of ongoing ethnic cleansing? Should Gaza have been blockaded for over 15 years? Should the Israeli people be allowed to practice apatheid? Try again troll,” Mr Reid replied.

“Israel is nothing more than a violent colonial state engaging in ethnic cleansing of the local population. Those hostages are lucky to still be hostages and not corpses by now.”

Hamas has taken hundreds of people hostage since its first deadly attack on Israel on October 7. Only four hostages – an American mother and daughter and two Israeli grandmothers – have been released so far.

Mr Reid’s comments were reportedly shared throughout Jewish communities, sparking backlash and calls for the bakery to be boycotted.

Comments on Lune’s Facebook page have said as much, with some saying they would “never again” buy from the bakery because of Mr Reid’s words.

“(I) won’t be buying from your croissanterie again after private comments about Israel has been made public,” one person wrote on Facebook.

Comments on posts to Lune Croissanterie’s official Instagram account in the last three days have been turned off, but it is unclear whether that is because of public backlash.

Even so, one person commented below a post five days ago asking: “do you deliver to terrorist organisations? asking for a friend x.”

The criticism forced Mr Reid to issue a public apology to his account on Sunday.

It is currently the only post on his account, which has accrued 3205 followers.

“I understand if I’m cancelled now – I did it to myself,” he captioned the picture of a black and white statement.

“I apologize if my private DM was hurtful. I believe it is possible to be anti-government actions, military positions, and regional history without being opposed to their religion or the general population.

“To be clear, I deeply feel Jewish people have contributed so much to humanity, and I respect and value Jews as a people and a religious group. I am not antisemitic, nor do I tolerate violence.

“I, like many others right now, am feeling upset and confused over the massive death toll in the Gaza region, but I should not have let my fingers run away with me on the keyboard.

“I will now take some time away from work to research and learn. I apologise to anyone connected with me if they feel let down by my previous communications.”

news.com.au has contacted Mr Reid via Lune Croissanterie for further comment.

The bakery has become a cult institution after opening as a small hole-in-the-wall bakery in Elwood in 2012.

It was the brainchild of Kate Reid, who blended her experience as a Formula 1 aerodynamicist and stint studying pastry-making in Paris to produce what some have dubbed the “world’s best” croissants. Mr Reid joined the business a year after it was founded.

Lune has become a must-see and must-eat destination for pastry fans and sweet tooths around the world.