Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday called the hateful attack on an Asian woman in Midtown “absolutely disgusting” — and urged residents not to just “stand around” watching such assaults.
“We continue to see these horrible, disgusting attacks on Asian American New Yorkers and it’s got to end,” de Blasio said during a City Hall press briefing.
Surveillance video captured an Asian woman who was walking to her church in Midtown on Monday morning get brutally beat as a security guard in a nearby building appeared to watch and do nothing to help.
“Yesterday, absolutely disgusting and outrageous video of an Asian woman being attacked pushed to the ground, kicked viciously by someone full of hate,” de Blasio said of the footage.
“That was bad enough, but then to see a security guard standing by and not intervening — absolutely unacceptable,” the mayor said.
Hizzoner called on New Yorkers to help in any way they can if someone witnesses an attack.
“Do whatever you can, make noise, immediately call for help,” de Blasio said.
He added, “We all have to be part of the solution – we can’t just stand back and watch a heinous act happen.”
The unidentified suspect in Monday’s assault spewed anti-Asian statements as he punched and kicked the 65-year-old woman on West 43rd Street near Ninth Avenue at about 11:40 a.m., according to cops.
The victim was hospitalized with a fractured pelvis as a result. The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident.
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the NYPD department has logged a 1,300 percent increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans.
De Blasio on Tuesday appeared to put blame on former President Donald Trump for the surge in attacks on Asian Americans.
“We know very painfully it started in Washington, DC, and it has to end in New York City,” de Blasio said.
