‘I think all Asians should die’: Man filmed hurling racist remarks on Times Square subway
An unidentified man in a Times Square subway was recorded hurling anti-Asian remarks at an Asian American woman.
Kat Yen, a New York City-based theater director and an M.F.A. candidate at Yale School of Drama, was on the Times Square subway when a man wearing a gray sweater and a black backpack started hurling anti-Asian remarks at her.
Yen posted the incident on her Instagram account in three separate, minute-long posts. In the first video, she captioned, “First day back in NYC and I’m already the victim of a hate crime. It happened at the 42nd subway station, the same station where Michelle Alyssa Go was killed earlier this year.”
The man can be seen standing inches away from Yen’s camera as he says, “I believe they need to all die. I have the right to say that. I think all Asians should die.”
He went on to make xenophobic, racist remarks against Chinese people in America, questioning why they migrate to the United States. When Yen asked him the same question, he said, “I was born in this country,” to which Yen replied, “So was I. I was born in Saint Vincent’s down the street.”
In the second video posted by Yen, the man can be seen expressing concern about other passengers standing close to him before he turns back to the camera and states, “I’m racist. I’m proud about what I say, but I’m only racist towards Asians because they’re the worst thing. Why can’t you live freely in your own country and say what you want to say?”
He then argues with another Asian passenger on the subway and calls him “stupid” for claming, “I’m Asian, but I’m not from Asia,” to which Yen retorts that he is of Irish descent.
In the third video, some passengers can be seen surrounding Yen as the harasser continues to speak about China before he iss dragged out onto a subway station.
“This is not the first time this man has targeted Asians while I’ve been on the train,” Yen wrote in her caption. “I recognize him and I’m sure others do as well. However, this is the most interaction I’ve had with him and the first time other people have come to my defense when I was threatened or harassed on the train for racist reasons. Which I feel is worth mentioning, for all the good and bad implications attached.”
“Also it’s worth mentioning that I told the arresting officers that this was a hate crime and I had footage of the incident and they brushed me off and walked away,” she added. “I wonder how many obvious hate crimes haven’t been properly identified as such due to similar actions?”
As of this writing, no details regarding the unidentified man have been made available. NextShark has reached out to Yen for comment.
Featured Images via @katkoral
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