Two Asian men were reportedly punched by a white male as they were taking pictures in Manhattan in New York City on Saturday afternoon.
What happened: The victims, both from Queens, were shooting photos and conversing with a tour guide in front of Macy’s Herald Square at 2:30 p.m. when a man allegedly started attacking them, reported WABC. According to the victims, the suspect appeared to be with his wife and three young children and did not look homeless.
- One of the victims claimed the stranger was eavesdropping on their conversation and kept staring at them as they talked about being from Southeast Asia.
- The attacker then accused them of taking photos of him before he started punching one victim multiple times in the face, head and arms. After that, he allegedly turned to the other victim, grabbed him by the collar, and demanded the man’s phone.
- “I said, ‘Ok brother, take the phone, if you see any of your pics you can delete it,'” the victim said.
- When the tour guide intervened, one of the victims was able to run and flag down a police officer for help.
- Both victims declined medical assistance at the scene but checked themselves in the evening.
Far from home: The victims, who chose to remain anonymous, said they are immigrants from Myanmar who fled the country due to Muslim persecution.
- Both left their families behind in hiding, so they could come to the U.S. and provide for them.
- The attack left one of them with a sore body as well as some ringing in the head and reported soreness in his arm, back and side. Both feel unsafe in their new environment.
- One of the victims said the incident was similar to how they get treated in their country, noting that securing their lives was the reason they came to America.
- The incident remains under investigation, as of this writing.
Featured Image via WABC
