Police are investigating an incident where a man sprayed an Asian man with Febreze in a possible coronavirus-related hate crime on a Brooklyn train.
The video, which was originally posted on Facebook, shows a man riding the N train in the Sunset Park area at around 9 a.m. on March 4, yelling at an Asian passenger to move.
“Tell him to move,” the man said. When asked why the victim should move, the suspect said “Because he’s standing right f–king next to me!” before repeating “Tell him to move.”
The suspect then pulled out a bottle of Febreze and began to spray around the victim. In a second video posted on Facebook, the victim confronted the suspect and asked him why he couldn’t stand next to him.
A woman pulled the victim away as the man told him, “You better move – you’re being dumb right now. You’re being dumb.”
Police responded to a 911 call regarding the attack, but by the time they arrived the train had left. The NYPD confirmed that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
“Our Hate Crimes Task Force is reviewing the incident and it’s an ongoing investigation.” said Chief Rodney Harrison said at a crime briefing press conference on Thursday.
What works in stopping the spread of Coronavirus:
1. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds
2. Cough and sneeze into your elbow
3. Stay home if you’re sickWhat doesn’t work:
1. Racism https://t.co/wBrkkBe7yP— MTA (@MTA) March 5, 2020
