An Asian-American woman was attacked in New York City by a man who repeatedly kicked her while two people who were nearby and appeared to be security guards did not intervene, according to security video released by police.
The 65-year-old woman was walking through an area of the Manhattan skyline a few blocks from Times Square Monday afternoon when a man approached and kicked her in the stomach, knocking her to the ground, police said. The man stepped on the woman’s face several times while yelling racist insults and then quietly walking away, the video shows.
The attack came amid a nationwide surge in racist crimes against Asians and just weeks after an Atlanta shooting that killed eight people, six of them Asian women.
The NYPD say there have been 33 hate crimes against Asian victims so far this year, news outlets reported.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the video of the attack is “absolutely disgusting and egregious” and added that it is “absolutely unacceptable” that the witnesses did not intervene.
“No matter who you are, no matter what you do, they have to help another New Yorker,” De Blasio said Tuesday in his meeting with the press.
“If you see someone being attacked, do what you can,” he said. Make noise. Shout out what’s going on. Try to help. Call the police immediately. We cannot sit idly by and watch a cruel act happen ”.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the attack was “gruesome and disgusting.” He ordered the state police hate crimes unit to assist the New York City police.
–
