An elderly Filipina immigrant was randomly attacked in Midtown Manhattan in New York City on Monday, the latest in the string of violent attacks against Asian Americans.
The 65-year-old Filipino woman was walking along 360 West 43rd Street on Monday when a man approached her and suddenly kicked her multiple times, according to the report by the New York Police District (NYPD).
Authorities said the attacker "made anti-Asian statements" towards the victim as he kicked her and shouted "F*ck you. You don’t belong here.”
In a video circulated online, bystanders who were on the scene just watched without intervening.
A security guard from inside an adjacent building where the incident happened also failed to aid the woman and even closed the door.
The victim, whose identity has not been released, was hospitalized with multiple injuries and suffered a fractured pelvis.
Authorities have yet to identify the attacker and appealed to those with information to come forward.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the violence was becoming "an epidemic" across the country that "must stop now."
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called on anyone who witnesses an attack to "literally shout" to disturb the aggressor and attract attention.
The NYPD has already stepped up its presence in neighborhoods with high Asian immigrant populations while volunteer groups have formed safety patrols.
Several demonstrations expressing solidarity with Asian-American communities have also taken place. They have been attended by New York mayoral candidates and the Reverend Al Sharpton, the influential Black rights activist.
New York has more than one million inhabitants of Asian descent.
In the week of March 15 to 21, police recorded a total of nine hate crimes, up from three in the same period of 2020. (With a report from Agence France-Presse)