Sikh teen in US punched for wearing turban, told 'we don't wear that in this country'

In an incident of hate crime in the US, a 26-year-old man has been arrested for attacking a Sikh teenager on a bus in New York for wearing a turban, according to media reports.

The man identified as Christopher Philippeaux, who was conditionally released by parole in July 2021 after serving more than two years in prison, was arrested and charged with a hate crime after the incident on the bus near 118th Street and Liberty Avenue in Queens on October 15.

According to police, Philippeaux approached the 19-year-old Sikh boy on the New York City MTA bus and said, "We don't wear that in this country," referring to his turban. He also asked the teen to take his mask off.

The suspect then punched the victim in the face, and back of his head, causing cuts and pain, according to the police. Police said the man also tried to remove the turban from the head of the teen before getting off the bus and running along Liberty Avenue.

According to the New York Daily News, Philippeaux was conditionally released on parole in July 2021 after serving more than two years in state prison for a Manhattan attempted robbery conviction.

He has other arrests, most recently for obstructing governmental administration in Brooklyn, police added. It appears that the case has been sealed, it said.

The Sikh teen said on Wednesday that he is “shaken and angered” by the assault and that no one should be harassed because of how they look.

"Right now, the victim is very traumatized," ABC News quoted community activist Japneet Singh as saying. "The family is very scared for him." Though he refused treatment at the scene, Singh says the victim was injured badly enough that he won't be able to work for the next few days.

"I watched the video, and I was angry, I was outraged, and just moved by what happened to the victim," said Shanifah Rieara, MTA's Acting Chief Customer Officer. "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." 

(with agency inputs)