A man accused of attacking and spewing racist slurs at two Asian women in a Manhattan subway station has been indicted on hate crimes charges.
Derrick Johnson was charged on Wednesday after the 8 May incident in which he reportedly walked up to the women and doused them in an unidentified liquid, prosecutors say.
“You f***ing Chinese. I don’t know why you’re here in America,” the 40-year-old is said to have told one of the women before charging toward her, prompting her to fall, according to the New York Post. He then allegedly spat at the woman while she was on the ground.
The fall of the 26-year-old led to “significant bruising” on her arms and legs as well as “substantial pain and swelling to her head and jaw”, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a press release.
Mr Johnson has been charged with assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment. He has also been ordered to take part in a psychiatric evaluation. In Manhattan criminal court, he was remanded to jail during his arraignment.
“The subway is central to our city, and riders of all backgrounds deserve safety when they travel,” Mr Bragg said in a statement. “The rise of bias-driven crimes is unacceptable. We are expanding our Office’s Hate Crimes Unit to enhance these prosecutions while increasing community engagement and other preventative measures.”
Mr Johnson was arrested last month after he allegedly attacked two officers who were on the scene to respond to a call concerning a lewd man, according to the New York Post. He reportedly got on top of one of the officers, hitting them in the face before striking another officer in the face.
According to public records, Mr Johnson’s next court is scheduled for 16 August.
Attacks on Asian Americans spiked during the pandemic in New York City as well as around the country after a number of elected officials, including former President Donald Trump, blamed the pandemic on China, where Covid-19 first appeared.
