An owner of a luxury clothing store in Manhattan told police she was assaulted by a supporter of Donald Trump, and she says the alleged attack also needs to be investigated as a hate crime.
Among high-end items for sale, Tanya Young Williams designed “NYC 4 Kamala” t-shirts to help campaign for the Democratic presidential nominee at her business on West 72nd Street. Outside, Williams erected a large poster of Vice President Kamala Harris with the quote “We’re not going back,” and that’s what appeared to set her alleged attacker off last Friday.
The man, who hasn’t been identified, was wearing a Trump t-shirt and he told Williams that “you should have this in your store,” she recounted to NBC New York.
Williams said she didn’t want to engage with the man, but he walked back and spit in her face. “And at that point, the game changed for me,” she added.
She said the two started to tussle outside. The business owner “tried to subdue him” and that’s when she grabbed and tore the man’s white shirt, causing a button showing support for Israel to also fall off. A witness who watched the incident unfold took a photo of the man with his shirt ripped.
The NYPD confirmed it is investigating the situation as an assault, but Williams says the charge doesn’t go far enough.
“There was nothing else that would have had him use the n-word repeatedly,” she said.
No arrest has been made as Williams looks forward to speaking to detectives this week. Despite what happened, she said she’ll keep the poster where it is.
