Police seek man after homophobic attack on New York subway
The NYPD's latest hate crime statistics show nearly a 300% increase in hate crime motivated by sexual orientation between 2020 and 2021.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Twitter/@NYPDHateCrimes
A 23-year-old man travelling on the New York City subway system has been beaten by a fellow passanger who yelled homophobic slurs at him.
It comes amid a seemingly growing problem in the city, which has recorded a nearly 300% increase in LGBTQ hate crimes in the last year.
The victim was on the northbound J-train as it pulled into Broadway Junction station on 26 August when the incident took place, according to police.
The police say the attacker approached the victim verbally abusing him before punching him repeatedly.
“I’m not with that gay s**t”
Images of the attacker were included in a tweet from the New York Police Department’s Hate Crime unit, with police claiming that the attacker yelled “I’m not with that gay s**t”.
🚨On 8/26/21, at approx. 11:35 PM, a 23-year-old male was on a northbound “J” train, at the Broadway Junction subway station, when a male approached him, called him anti-gay slurs, and punched him in the head multiple times. Know him⬇️? DM @NYPDTips or ☎️1-800-577-TIPS (8477). pic.twitter.com/iirG4NytzS
— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) September 3, 2021
The man is seen wearing a black t-shirt and cap, as well as cargo shorts and carrying a black backpack.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
In August, the NYPD put out a call for information on a man suspected of carrying out another homophobic attack on the New York subway. A man approached two other men making anti-gay remarks before beating them and a woman.
As reported by the New York Post, another incident took place in May where a man was stabbed with an ice pick and called a “f****t”.
In its latest statistics on hate crime, correct up to 1 August, the NYPD says hate crime motivated by sexual orientation increased by 292% between 2020 and 2021 with 47 incidents in 2021 so far compared to 12 in 2020.
🚨On 8/26/21, at approx. 11:35 PM, a 23-year-old male was on a northbound “J” train, at the Broadway Junction subway station, when a male approached him, called him anti-gay slurs, and punched him in the head multiple times. Know him⬇️? DM @NYPDTips or ☎️1-800-577-TIPS (8477). pic.twitter.com/iirG4NytzS
— NYPD Hate Crimes (@NYPDHateCrimes) September 3, 2021