US man hits Sikh teen wearing turban, says 'we don’t wear that'; arrested
Sikh teen assaulted in US: A 26-year-old man hit a Sikh teenager on a bus in the US for wearing a turban, according to media reports. The man has been arrested and charged with a hate crime.
According to police, the accused identified as Christopher Philippeaux was arrested on Thursday and was charged with a hate crime after the incident on the bus near 118th Street and Liberty Avenue in Queens on October 15.
Reportedly, he was conditionally released by parole in July 2021 after serving more than two years in prison.
Philippeaux, according to authorities, approached the 19-year-old Sikh teenager on a New York City MTA bus and stated, "We don't wear that in this country," referring to his turban.
He also told the teen to remove his mask.
According to authorities, the accused then punched the victim in the face, back, and back of his head, causing cuts and pain. According to police, the man also attempted to remove the teen's turban before getting off the bus and running along Liberty Avenue.
According to court records, Philippeaux was conditionally released on parole in July 2021 after serving more than two years in state prison for a Manhattan attempted robbery conviction, according to the New York Daily News.
He's been arrested before, most notably for obstructing governmental administration in Brooklyn last month, according to authorities. It appears that the case has been closed, according to the report.
On Wednesday, the Sikh teen said he was "shaken and angered" by the assault and that no one should be targeted because of their appearance.
"Right now, the victim is very traumatized. The family is very scared for him," community activist Japneet Singh said, according to ABC News.
Though he refused treatment at the spot, Singh claims the victim suffered serious injuries and will be unable to work for several days.
"I watched the video and I was angry, I was outraged, and just moved by what happened to the victim. New York City is a melting pot and it's from my understanding that this gentleman has only been here for about a year, and this is not how we welcome people to our city," said Shanifah Rieara, MTA's Acting Chief Customer Officer.
- With inputs from agencies
