Man punched Sikh teen in turban on New York City bus in suspected hate crime, authorities say

A 19-year-old Sikh man on a New York City bus was attacked Sunday in a suspected hate crime by an assailant who tried removing his turban and face mask, authorities said.

The incident occurred aboard the MTA shuttle bus 8810 in Queens at about 9 a.m. Sunday, the New York City Police Department told USA TODAY. The suspect approached the teenager and yelled: "We don’t wear that in this country and take that mask off!"

The suspect then punched the teen in the back of the head, face, and back multiple times, according to police. The suspect later fled on foot along Liberty Avenue in an unknown direction and is being sought, officials said.

The victim, who was not identified, suffered a "minor laceration and pain" after the attack, authorities said. The teen refused further medical treatment at the scene, and no other injuries were reported in the attack.

New York police on Monday released surveillance images of the suspect, who is shown wearing a yellow bubble jacket, blue jeans, and sneakers. Authorities described him as a man between 25 to 35 years old, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with a dark complexion, slim build, and brown eyes and black hair.

Anyone with additional information about the incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline. 

The Sikh Coalition, a Sikh faith organization based in New York, said on Facebook that it was "deeply disturbed" by the attack and that it was in contact with the victim and offering him their support.

"As we stand alongside our allies from all communities, we will continue to insist that no one should have to fear for their personal safety while simply existing in public," the organization said in a statement. "We thank allies from across all communities who have spoken out and urge vigilance for all given the current climate—especially given the heartbreaking recent news out of Illinois."

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FBI: Increase in domestic threats after Hamas attack

Muslim and Jewish communities across the U.S. are on alert in the wake of the Israel-Gaza conflict as federal law enforcement and local institutions report a spike in antisemitic threats and hate crimes. 

On Monday, in Bexley, Ohio, a man was arrested for trespassing into two homes and making antisemitic remarks, police said. A day earlier, a 6-year-old Chicago Muslim boy was stabbed to death and his mother was seriously injured after their landlord attacked them in a hate crime, police said. Authorities believe it was a targeted attack in response to the Israel-Hamas war.

FBI director Christopher Wray on Saturday said domestic threats have increased in the country due to the “heightened environment" since the attacks overseas began, Politico reported. He urged vigilance and asked local police to continue sharing information.

"History has been witness to anti-Semitic and other forms of violent extremism for far too long,” he said at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in San Diego. “Whether that be from foreign terrorist organizations, or those inspired by them, or domestic violent extremists motivated by their own racial animus, the targeting of a community because of their faith is completely unacceptable.”

Local law enforcement across the country has already increased patrols as a precaution.

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Hate crimes during conflicts overseas

Various organizations have documented a rise in hate crimes targeted against Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, Jews, and other communities since the 9/11 attacks. According to a 2022 report by the Anti-Defamation League, fighting between Israel and Hamas has historically contributed to rises in antisemitic and other incidents of hate crime in the country.

"We have to find ways to dig deep into the well of empathy we pour on our loved ones, on so-called "our people" and extend it on strangers, the so-called "others" and even those who hate us," cartoonist and advocate Vishavjit Singh told USA TODAY in an email. "It is hard but it has to be our meditation that informs decisions we make on a daily basis in social, cultural, political arenas including the battlefield."