A man has been sued for damages after taunting an Asian American NYPD detective during a social justice protest in New York last month.
Terrell Harper, who has an active warrant, allegedly called Detective Vincent Chung a “goddamn cat eater.” It was also claimed that Harper chanted “soy sauce” and hurled other anti-Asian insults for 15 minutes during the Manhattan demonstration on March 11.
“You going to Judo chop me? I don’t give a f***, you are being recorded too,” Harper says to Chung, as seen in a video released by the Detectives Endowment Association (DEA). This police union, which represents some 5,000 active and over 12,000 retired NYPD detectives, filed a lawsuit on Chung’s behalf, the New York Post reported.
Chung is assigned to the Fifth Precinct. He has been in the force for 16 years.
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“I mean looking at the video, that type of hate directed at myself as an Asian American is just disgusting,” Chung told WABC. “I was surprised that an organization or demonstration protesting for racial justice and equality suddenly turned to an Anti-Asian beratement for over 15 minutes.”
According to the New York Post, this lawsuit is supposedly the first of its kind. Aside from demanding monetary damages, it also seeks to have Harper explain why he targeted the Asian American detective.
“Hate affects every citizen, even if you’re in uniform,” DEA President Paul DiGiacomo said. “This lawsuit we hope will tell the racists that there is a price to pay.”
“All I care about is the apology,” the detective said. “No matter how much is awarded, I’m donating it to some Asian aid society or anti-Asian hate society.”
DiGiacomo also said, “This city is in a crisis of violence and in a crisis of hate. No citizen should be subject to hateful racist slurs whether they are wearing a uniform or not.”
Harper has yet to be charged for the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the DEA at [email protected].
Feature Image Screenshots via WABC
