A Chinese American man in New York was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked in the head over the weekend in another incident of an increase in attacks against Asians across the United States, USA Today reported on Sunday.
The 61-year-old man was in critical but stable condition Sunday in a New York hospital.
Police said he was collecting cans in East Harlem on Friday night when he was hit from behind and knocked down and and then kicked several times in the head.
It was the latest instance in a spike in attacks against Asian people across the country. Authorities believe the increase in such attacks is due to anger and frustration stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, which originated in China.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called the latest attack “outrageous’’ and promised to take action against the assailant, who has not yet been found.
“Make no mistake, we will find the perpetrator and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” de Blasio wrote on Twitter.
Although police did not release the victim’s name, several news outlets identified him as Yao Pan Ma, who lost his job as a restaurant worker due to the pandemic and was trying to earn money by collecting cans, according to USA Today.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that he would ask the state hate crimes task force to help in the New York City police department’s investigation of the incident.
“I’m sickened to learn of yet another bigoted act of violence against an Asian American man,” the governor said in a statement. “This is not who we are as New Yorkers, and we will not let these cowardly acts of hate against members of our New York family intimidate us.”
Just last month in Manhattan, an elderly Asian American woman had to be hospitalized after someone shouting anti-Asian comments at her kicked and stomped on her in the street.
Many other such incidents have occurred throughout the country, particularly in cities with large Asian populations.
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