US: Sikh teen assaulted on NYC bus for wearing turban
In a shocking incident of hate crime, a 26-year-old man was taken into custody for assaulting a Sikh teenager on a Queens MTA bus in New York City, USA Today reported. The man named Christopher Philippeaux confronted the young man about his turban, saying, "We don't wear that in this country." He then physically attacked the teen, hitting him in the face, back, and head, causing multiple injuries, and attempting to remove his turban before leaving the bus.
Why does this story matter?
The aforementioned incident directly points out the worsening situation of communal and religious harmony worldwide. The ongoing war between Palestinian terror group Hamas and Israel has triggered a barrage of hate crime incidents, against both Jews and Muslims. Unfortunately, members of the Sikh community, due to their turban and beard, are often confused with Muslims and become targets in such violent incidents. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that there were 198 hate crime victimizations against Sikhs in 2022.
Attacker's criminal history and arrest
Philippeaux had been released on parole in July 2021 after serving over two years in state prison for an attempted robbery conviction in Manhattan. He has also been arrested for other offenses, including obstructing governmental administration in Brooklyn just last month. The New York Police Department apprehended Philippeaux on Thursday following the racially charged assault on the Sikh teenager.
Victim's trauma and community reaction
The young victim, who was left "shaken and angered" by the incident, stressed that no one should be targeted based on their appearance. Community activist Japneet Singh told ABC News that the teen is "very traumatized" and his family is "very scared for him." Although the teenager sustained serious injuries, he declined medical attention at the scene, which means he won't be able to work for a few days.
Rising hate crimes in US
Hate crimes have seen a dramatic rise in recent times. On October 14, a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy was killed after getting stabbed 26 times by his landlord. The incident triggered protests worldwide. Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian groups have said that attacks against them have increased manifold. They reported incidents of vandalism, bullying, and threatening phone calls to CNN. Notably, threats against Jews increased by 488% in the first 18 hours of the Israel-Hamas war, Jewish rights group Anti-Defamation League revealed.
