Trans woman slapped and spat on in New York City subway in ‘loathsome transphobic attack’
Trans woman Serena Daniari (L) alleged she was spat on and verbally assaulted by a couple (R). (Screen capture via Twitter/@serenajazmine)
New York City authorities confirmed Saturday that officers are investigating an alleged late-night hate crime against trans activist and journalist Serena Daniari.
With tears and mascara running down her cheeks, Daniari’s voice crackled as she said, “I just want to be left alone,” in a Twitter video explaining how a couple spat on her on the subway.
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio denounced the attackers, tweeting yesterday: “Transgender and non-binary New Yorkers deserve to travel in their city without fear.”
Trans woman allegedly targeted by couple in ‘loathsome transphobic attack’.
While on the C train, which serves between 168th Street in Washington Heights, Manhattan, and Euclid Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, Daniari claimed a couple slapped her, spat on her and tossed transphobic slurs at her at around 9pm on January 24.
This couple just spit on me and hit me after calling me transphobic slurs I am so disgusted and crying waiting for the police. Fuck this disgusting city. pic.twitter.com/Dura6tgBLt
— Serena Daniari (@serenajazmine) January 25, 2020
She snapped a photograph on her mobile of the alleged attackers as the train pulled into West 155th Street, Upper Manhattan, on the southbound C train platform.
The man, wearing a black beanie with blue headphones and a yellow Harrington jacket, is carrying an order from Zai Lai, a Taiwanese restaurant in Columbus Circle.
I was just attacked by a couple on the train. They spit on me and hit me and called me transphobic slurs. pic.twitter.com/YgPDZncIpo— Serena Daniari (@serenajazmine) January 25, 2020
Police say the man asked the 26-year-old victim if she was man, before allegedly slapping her in the face and spitting on her. The woman then allegedly slapped the victim’s phone out of her hand, abc7 reported.
“I just wish people would leave me alone,” she said in a video, clutching her book with hands tangled in her earphone wires.
“I didn’t do anything,” she continued, dabbing her eyes, “I just wanna be left alone.”
‘It’s 2020 and this shouldn’t be happening and especially not in a city as diverse as ours.’
De Blasio later confirmed that the New York Police Department’s hate crimes unit is investing the “loathsome, transphobic attack” and called for witnesses to help identify the alleged suspects.
“Serena, on behalf of your city, I’m so sorry this happened,” he added.
.@NYPDHateCrimes is investigating this loathsome, transphobic attack. If you have ANY information please contact them IMMEDIATELY.
Serena, on behalf of your city I’m so sorry this happened. Transgender and non-binary New Yorkers deserve to travel in their city without fear. https://t.co/mLM46e6a7u— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) January 26, 2020
Daniari later called on New York’s 13th Congressional Districts representative Adriano Espaillat to collaborate with her to “make public transit safer for LGBTQ people and find solutions so this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
The lawmaker agreed, tweeting: “I call on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority [and the] New York City Transit Subway to conduct a full and thorough investigation into the attack against Serena Daniari.
I call on the @MTA @NYCTSubway to conduct a full and thorough investigation into the attack against @serenajazmine. It’s 2020 and this shouldn’t be happening and especially not in a city as diverse as ours. #NoHate https://t.co/1wZiMDi2bZ— Adriano Espaillat (@RepEspaillat) January 25, 2020
“It’s 2020 and this shouldn’t be happening and especially not in a city as diverse as ours.”
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
