Susp ID’d in attack on Muslim MTA worker
COPS HAVE released an artist’s sketch on Tuesday, of a man who attacked a Muslim MTA worker wearing a hijab in Manhattan.
A hooded attacker in a dark wool hat told MTA worker Soha Salama, “You shouldn’t work for the MTA. Go back to your country, terrorist,” on a 7 train at Grand Central Terminal Monday morning. She was dressed in her uniform.
Salama switched cars and got off the train, sources said. He followed her and called her a “terrorist (expletive).”
He then pushed her as she tried to walk up the escalator from the platform, sources said. She stumbled, but then ran to the main level.
Once agian, the suspect called her a “terrorist (expletive)” again and then fled, sources said.
Cops describe the man as between 25 and 35 years old, about 5-feet-10 and between 150 and 180 pounds.
Also on Monday, a twisted graffiti tagger offered foul-mouthed opinions on President-elect Donald Trump, Bill O’Reilly and Allah in a Brooklyn subway station.
Sources said a City Council staffer forwarded a report to police from a Brooklynite, who spotted the graffiti at the Fort Hamilton Parkway station on the uptownbound F line around 4:45 p.m. Monday.
“(Expletive) Donald Trump, If you come at one of us, you come at all of us,” the message read, sources said. “(Expletive) Allah. Bill O’Reilly is a fascist.” The O’Reilly remark was written on a poster for his Fox News TV show, sources said.
“We spoke to the precinct, and they worked on it last night,” said staffer Ruby Abdul, who works in the office of Councilman Brad Lander (D-Brooklyn). “The graffiti has been removed, and it’s being investigated as a hate crime.”
Word of the vandalism came Tuesday, as the city’s top cop asked for the public’s help stemming the surging number of hate crimes since the presidential election.
“If you do see something or know someone who’s involved in an incident, help us investigate it,” Police Commissioner James O’Neill told a crowd at New York University’s downtown Brooklyn campus. He said the number of hate crimes since Nov. 8 has hit 42 — more than double the same period last year. On Monday, police officials said the total was 43.
The city has seen a 35% rise in hate crimes, to 361 incidents this year from 267 in 2015, O’Neill said, adding bias-related arrests also doubled, to 151.
The spreading spree of hate crimes hit a new low Saturday when a man threatened to kill an off-duty Muslim NYPD officer during an altercation in Bay Ridge.
“You guys think this is a joke,” Christopher Nelson reportedly told officer Aml Elsokary, according to court papers. “I’ll slit your throat, you ISIS (expletive).” Nelson was arrested shortly after the confrontation, O’Neill said.