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NYPD Investigating Hate Crime After Asian Woman Allegedly Punched For Not Wearing Face Mask
By
Sophia Chang
Published Mar 11, 2020
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Gothamist
By
Sophia Chang
Published Mar 11, 2020
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Police are investigating a possible bias attack after a woman punched another woman and yelled anti-Asian slurs Tuesday morning in midtown.
The incident happened around 10:20 a.m. Tuesday by 22 West 34th Street, near the Empire State Building, according to the NYPD.
The victim, 23, was approached by another woman, described to be in her 20s, who punched her and "made anti-Asian statements and fled the location on foot," according to a spokesperson for the NYPD.
Sources tell the New York Post the assailant yelled "Where is your corona mask you Asian b—h.”
The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, though police did not describe her injuries. The Post reported the victim may have had a dislocated jaw.
The NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating.
Governor Andrew Cuomo condemned the attack in a statement Wednesday and called on New Yorkers to do better:
"I am disgusted to hear that a woman of Asian descent was physically assaulted in Manhattan on Tuesday - an attack apparently motivated by the bigoted notion that an Asian person is more likely to carry or transmit the novel coronavirus," Cuomo said in the statement. "To be clear: there is zero evidence that people of Asian descent bear any additional responsibility for the transmission of the coronavirus. This incident was not only despicable but also illegal, and I am directing the State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to assist in the investigation to make sure the assailant is held accountable. No one in this state should ever feel intimidated or threatened because of who they are or how they look. Diversity is our greatest strength - it's one of the things that makes New York great - and in difficult times we need to band together even tighter."
Reports of bias and xenophobia against Asians in New York appear to be on the rise in the wake of increasing numbers of COVID-19 virus cases.
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COVID-19
hate crime
Sophia Chang
Sophia Chang is a former WNYC and Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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