Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Imam-Bashing Duo Say Fight Was Over a Bump, Not Bigotry
By
Garth Johnston
Published Dec 10, 2010
Modified Dec 10, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Garth Johnston
Published Dec 10, 2010
Modified Dec 10, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The story of the imam attacked on the A train earlier this week has gotten a new twist: one of the men accused of administering the beating, Eddie Crespo, is an MTA B&T officer.
The scuffle allegedly occurred after Albert Melendez, the brother of Crespo's fiance, announced to Rod Peterson, an imam from Queens, that he didn't "like Muslims." He is then said to have assaulted him on the train before the duo chased him onto the Canal Street platform. Once there Crespo is said to have held Peterson down while Melendez hit him. At some point the imam's kufi was thrown into the tracks. The slurs used, along with the kufi on the tracks, led the pair to be charged with robbery and assault as hate crimes.
Lawyers for both men claimed this was all a misunderstanding and that the clash occured after a bump on the subway. "This was certainly not a racially motivated attack. Judge, these are trumped-up charges," Melendez's lawyer, Angel Soto, said at his client's arraignment. Meanwhile Crespo's lawyer, Arnold Keith, says that Crespo actions are being misunderstood: he tried to break up the fight, never saw the kufi and stuck around to help the imam.
Both men are currently being held on bail and Crespo has been suspended without pay. Also? Getting bumped into on the subway is still no excuse to give a guy a black eye.
Tagged
a train
Albert Melendez
canal street
Eddie Crespo
hate crimes
imam
MTA
Rod Petersen
Garth Johnston
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 2:49 p.m. ET
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .