Sad story, but considering how Kensington was caught off guard this summer, people may be extra cautious.
But I doubt the comment about the eruv was as relayed, becuase if the new arrival was wearing a kippa serugah, no one would say anything as the YI crowd uses the eruv.
So if it was said, that could have been the resident’s way of opening a dialouge, and the newcomer took it as a confrontaion.