Anti-Muslim Attack Reported In Bushwick

BUSHWICK, BROOKLYN — In the second anti-Muslim attack reported in New York City on Wednesday, Sept. 13, an unidentified suspect (pictured above) made "anti-Muslim remarks" to a 53-year-old man near the Dekalb Avenue L train station, then "slapped the victim's cellphone from his hand" and "punched him one time to the left side of his neck," according to the NYPD.

The attack was carried out in broad daylight, around 8:30 a.m., police said, on the busy corner of Wyckoff Avenue and Stockholm Street.

Just a few hours later, at another subway stop in Forest Hills, Queens, a pair of Orthodox Jewish women were brutally beaten by a man who mistook them for Muslims and told them to go back to their "f---ing country," according to the Queens District Attorney. Dimitrios Zias, 40, was arrested soon after. ("Is it because I'm rich and white?" he allegedly told his arresting officers.)

A total of 214 hate crimes were reported across NYC during the first six months of 2017, police data shows. Of those, 25 were anti-Muslim or anti-Arab.

An NYPD spokeswoman could not provide any details on what kind of anti-Muslim comments, exactly, were made in the Bushwick assault.

Cops have yet to arrest anyone for the early-morning attack. However, this is the guy they're looking for:

Police described the suspect as "a male with long hair and last seen wearing sandals with white socks and a black 'True Religion' t-shirt."

Recognize him? You can tell police what you know online or via the NYPD tip line, at 1-800-577-8477.

Photo courtesy of the NYPD