NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- A homeless man is facing hate crime charges for allegedly attacking a woman as she was on her way to protest anti-Asian violence at a demonstration in lower Manhattan on Sunday morning.
The 37-year-old Asian American woman was attacked while walking along Astor Place just after 11:30 a.m., carrying a sign she had made for the protest.
Police said a man, identified as 27-year-old Erick Deoliveira, came up from behind, asked her to see the sign and then took it from her.
Deoliveira, who police say is homeless, then tried to stuff the sign in a garbage can before throwing it on the ground and stomping on it, according to the NYPD.
When the victim asked him why he did that, police said the suspect punched her twice in the face with a closed fist.
The victim's lip was bruised and she sustained cuts to her face. She also suffered a sprained ankle while chasing after the suspect, who was last spotted at the Astor Place and 8th Street subway station on the 6 line.
Deoliveira is charged with assault as a hate crime and criminal mischief as a hate crime.
The victim, who was reportedly with her 7-year-old daughter at the time of the attack, told WABC-TV that she is still shaken up and is on crutches following the assault.
Good Samaritans who chased after the suspect and took photos of him told WABC-TV that he appeared to be emotionally disturbed and flashed people on the train platform.
