(ÂPhoto by Richard B. Levine)
NY: New York during the COVID-19 pandemic
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police have opened a hate crime investigation into the assault last week of a woman of Asian descent riding the subway in Manhattan.
The attack happened December 17 aboard an A train at West 4th St. A group of three men and three women began haranguing the 32-year-old over her failure to wear a face mask on public transit, which the Metropolitan Transportation Authority requires.
Police said the encounter escalated and the group began making “anti-Asian statements relative to the coronavirus” and punched the woman in the face multiple times.
Police said the woman received bruises and was in “substantial pain” but refused medical attention.
No arrests have been made in the case.
In September, the US House passed a resolution calling for public agencies to investigate possible hate crimes targeting people of Asian descent after a rise in aggression and violence from those who wrongly blame them for the pandemic.
