A man has been arrested and charged with a haatmisdaad after an alleged attack on a taxi driver at New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport earlier this month, a criminal complaint states.
The alleged victim is a member of the Sikh faith, according to the Sikh Coalition, a New York based advocacy group.
The driver was at a taxi stand outside Terminal 4 by die lughawe op Januarie 3 when he was involved in a verbal dispute with 21-year-old Mohamed Hassanain who then assaulted him, according to the criminal complaint filed by the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
Hassanain allegedly hit the victim in the face and body multiple times, volgens die klag. Hassanain told investigators that he was at the airport to pick up his girlfriend. “I saw a cab driver there who cursed at me. I threw a punch and cursed at him,” said Hassanain, lui die klag.
Tydens die voorval, the driver says Hassanain told him: “you turban guy, go back to your country,” lui die klag.
The New York City Police Department arrested Hassanain on Thursday and he was arraigned in Queens County Criminal Court on Friday. He is charged with assault in the third degree as a hate crime, assault in the third degree, and harassment in the second degree, volgens die klag.
CNN has reached out for comment from a legal aid attorney for Hassanain but has not heard back.
The driver’s turban fell off during the alleged attack and he went to a hospital with pain in his chest and arms as a result of the alleged attack, volgens die klag.
“For those who aren’t Sikh, I can’t put into words what it means to have your turban knocked off — or to see someone else’s turban knocked off,” Simran Jeet Singh, senior fellow for the Sikh Coalition, gesê in 'n twiet a day after the alleged incident.
“It’s visceral and gut-wrenching and just so disheartening to witness,” het die twiet gesê.
“I am thankful to law enforcement, the Sikh Coalition, and all those in the community who have offered their strength in this difficult time,” the victim, identified only as “Mnr. Singh” by the Sikh Coalition, gesê in 'n statement released by the organization Vrydag. The group said it wished to help preserve the man’s anonymity.
“No one should experience what I did — but if they do, I hope they receive the same overwhelming amount of support and quick, professional action by the authorities in response,” lui die verklaring.
“We are shocked and angered too, Mnr. Singh,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams getwiet Vrydag. “This is an outrageous attack. We say ‘hate has no home’ in New York City and we’re living that value.”
The US State Department for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said in a twiet dit was “deeply disturbed” about the incident and that it condemns “any form of hate-based violence.”
Hassanain’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 8, according to the district attorney’s office.
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