The NYPD is investigating two separate hate crimes in Manhattan this month, including one near Columbia University that involved flag-burning, police said on Friday.
Law enforcement officials said that on Saturday, April 20, at approximately 9:55 p.m. a 22-year-old man was walking in the vicinity of Amsterdam Avenue and West 116 Street near Columbia University in Morningside Heights, displaying a large flag. An unknown individual then aggressively approached the victim, snatched the flag from him and then ran into a crowd of people, police said.
The victim then ran after the suspect, who at this point was hard to find in the raucous mob. Another perp threw a rock at the victim while he was running, striking him in the face. As the assault occurred, someone else in the melee got a hold of the victim’s flag and set it on fire, police said.
The victim sustained minor injuries from the assault, but refused medical attention.
One of the suspects involved in the incident is described as a male, with a light complexion, approximately 20 to 30 years of age. He was last seen wearing a black and yellow jacket, black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and white sneakers.
In a separate incident, a 19-year-old woman was holding a flag during a pro-Palestine protest in front of Macy’s Herald Square in Midtown when three woman approached her, grabbed her flag and then fled on foot eastbound on West 34 Street before comes from the Midtown South Precinct arrived on the scene.
The victim refused medical attention at the scene, police said.
Police were unable to say which countries the flags represented in either of these incidents. No arrests have been made yet, and both incidents are being investigated by the NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force.
Anyone with information regarding either of these crimes can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential
