New York Coronavirus spurs racist attack, prompts state interference

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called upon State Police to assist with a Big Apple hate crimes investigation after an Asian woman was attacked — apparently because she wasn’t wearing a mask — because of coronavirus concerns.

“Coronavirus is NO excuse for racism,” Cuomo wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning, sharing a news report related to the New York City assault. “This assault is disgusting & I am directing the State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to assist in the investigation to make sure the assailant is held accountable. NY stands with the Asian community. #NoHateInOurState”

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A 23-year-old Asian woman told police she was walking hear Herald Square in Manhattan shortly before 10:30 a.m. Tuesday when she was approached by a woman who then punched her in the face, an NYPD spokesperson told FOX Business.

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“Where is your (expletive deleted) mask, you’ve got coronavirus, you (expletive deleted),” the stranger told her, according to sources within the department.

The victim was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, and the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task is looking into the attack. The suspect has not yet been arrested.

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Early Wednesday, New York boasted the second-highest number of confirmed COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, cases. There are at least 173 cases, second only to Washington, which has at least 267 reported cases. More than 1,000 cases have been reported so far nationwide.

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