Coronavirus effect: New York investigating spate of anti-Asian attacks as hate crimes

SCREEN CAPTURE

A 13-year old suspect (in red) was arrested for one of the numerous attacks on Asian Americans in New York.

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering the New York State Police Hate Crime Task Force to investigate the attack of an Asian student by another student, reports the Crime Report.

“Where’s your corona mask, you Asian —–.” police say the suspect said. The suspect is a student at the Empire Beauty School.

‘To be clear: there is zero evidence that people of Asian descent bear any additional responsibility for the transmission of the coronavirus,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. He said he called in the task force to “make sure the assailant is held accountable.”

The incident last week is one of several similar attacks in the New York area.

The New York Post reports the city’s Human Rights Commission is investigating five cases of coronavirus racism in just the past two weeks.

The commission did not release any details, but on Saturday, a 13-year old boy turned himself in, accused of knocking a 59-year-old Asian man to the ground after kicking him from behind.

The teen was arrested later and charged with hate-crime assault for an alleged anti-Asian attack, said police authorities.

“Hate and discrimination against anyone on the basis of their race, national origin, or other status is not tolerated in New York City,” spokeswoman Alicia McCauley said. “The New York City Commission on Human Rights, Mayor’s Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, and NYPD are monitoring and responding to reported hate and bias incidents resulting from fear and stigma related to COVID-19.”

A man sprayed Febreeze air fresher at an Asian passenger on the N train in Sunseet Park, Brooklyn Wednesday morning. The incident captured the incident on a cellphone by another passenger.

The video shows the suspect yelling at the fellow passenger, "Tell him to move... because he is standing right (expletive) next to me!"

Moments later the suspect picks up a bottle of Febreze and sprays it toward the man. The incident is now being investigated by the NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force.

In yet another incident, a man wearing camouflage clothing. followed and verbally harassed an Asian father and his 10-year old son on Thursday. The  incident at 70 Avenue and Queens Blvd. culminated with the camo-clad attacker hit the father from behind. Police arrested a 44-year old man who fit the description of the suspect.

"I want to emphasize right now to all New Yorkers, it is absolutely unacceptable to discriminate against Asian individuals and Asian communities in the midst of this crisis," de said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.