STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A man captured on video ripping down Blue Lives Matter ribbons in Castleton Corners is making a "public apology" after receiving threatening messages via social media.

"I know that what I did was wrong," said Stephen Varvaro of Castleton Corners in a phone call to the Advance. "Tearing the ribbons down was the wrong thing to do. It was disrespectful."

The video, which was circulated on Facebook, prompted intense backlash, both for Varvaro, as well as anyone viewers managed to link to him.

The owner of a hair salon where Varvaro used to work was threatened with a protest, and wants people to know that the man in the video no longer is an employee.

Varvaro explained that he removed the blue ribbons because "what I thought they meant was to hell with Black Lives Matter. I assumed, I was hasty, I acted in anger. I didn't see blue when I saw the blue ribbons, I saw red and I was angry and I lost control."

Varvaro stressed, "I'm in no way against Blue Lives Matter."

Varvaro said he now realizes that the ribbons are not so much a sign of approval for the NYPD, but "really in support of families with police officers in them."

He feels especially bad because he has relatives who are police officers.

Some people who have seen the video are "overreacting" by posting obscenities and threats to his personal safety and life on social media, Varvaro said.

"I'm getting threats about it and I don't feel safe on the island anymore," Varvaro said. At least one poster suggested that he should lose his job.

The owner of Ted & Co Salon on Richmond Road in Dongan Hills stressed that, despite the fact that Varvaro hasn't worked there for about three weeks, the salon has been a target of numerous phone calls by people "cursing at us, screaming at us." Threats of a protest in front of his building have been made via social media.

"My employees are frightened to be in the building," said Ted, who declined to have his last name published.

The entire incident has been bad for business, Ted said. The salon is offering a 20 percent discount for all services for anyone on the police force to show their appreciation.

"We didn't do this, we're not responsible for this, we don't condone what he did," Ted said.