New York City Police Department has released CCTV footage of a thug who allegedly punched a gay man in broad daylight while snarling: “F**king gays.”
The attack, which occurred on 24 April in the Midtown district of New York City, is currently under investigation by the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force. They have pleaded for anyone who may have information about the incident to come forward.
The victim was in a CVS pharmacy on Pennsylvania Avenue when he was brutally punched in the back of the head. The suspect ran away shortly after the attack and the victim refused medical attention when police arrived.
The police department initially asked the public for information on 28 April and are asking again for anyone who has information to come forward.
Anti-LGBT+ hate crime has long been in issue in New York City. Earlier this month, a man was stabbed with an ice pick while his attacker yelled “f****t” on a New York subway train.
Last year, the city saw a teen punched in the face in a homophobic attack, another teen pelted with food cans, and a trans woman slapped and spat on in a transphobic attack.
Recent hate crime statistics released by the NYPD show that eight anti-LGBT+ hate crimes were reported in New York City between January and March this year. In the same period, six arrests were made of perpetrators of anti-LGBT+ hate crimes. Of these, four were for attacks on gay men, one was on a lesbian and one was on a transgender person.
The number of hate crimes committed in the city has increased drastically in 2021 alone, with 17 incidents in January rising to 57 incidents in March.
The highest proportion of New York hate crimes this year were perpetrated against the Asian community, with a total of 42 reports. Sixteen arrests were made in the same period.
