CAIR Press Releases

CAIR-NY Welcomes Hate Crime Probe into Assault on Elderly Asian Woman in Manhattan

(NEW YORK, N.Y. 4/25/2022) – The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today welcomed a hate crime investigation into an assault targeting a 69-year-old Asian woman in Manhattan’s Chelsea district.  

The victim was approaching West 19th Street and Ninth Avenue this past Sunday when the assailant punched her in the stomach without provocation, then fled. The New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident. 

SEE: 69-year-old Asian woman randomly punched in Chelsea, hate crime possible  

https://nypost.com/2022/04/24/69-year-old-asian-woman-randomly-punched-in-the-stomach-in-nyc-cops/

In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher said:  

“We are shocked and outraged that another member of New York’s vibrant Asian American community has fallen victim to a possible racist attack. We urge the NYPD to act swiftly in capturing the attacker. CAIR-NY is committed to fighting all forms of bigotry and we stand united with the Asian American community and with all New Yorkers against hate.”   

This attack appears to be part of a disturbing upward trend of attacks on Asian Americans in recent years.  

See: Asian Americans Grapple With Tide of Attacks: ‘We Need Our Safety Back’  

CAIR-NY has condemned a number of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans and other New Yorkers:  

See: CAIR-NY Condemns Anti-Asian Hate Crime Targeting Teenage Girl in Brooklyn  

See: CAIR-NY Condemns Vicious Attack on Elderly Sikh Men in Queens, Applauds NYPD’s Swift Response and Hate Crime Probe  

CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.   

La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.   

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CONTACT: Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, CAIR-NY, 917-669-4006, anasher@cair.com; Ahmed Mohamed, CAIR-NY Legal Director, 646-481-2103, ahmedmohamed@cair.com