NYC Taxi Driver Assaulted on Van Wyck Expressway, Victim Seeks Hate Crime Designation

Assault on Van Wyck Expressway

• 🚕 A South Asian taxi driver, Amarjit Singh, was assaulted on the Van Wyck Expressway, sustaining bruises and damage to his car.
• ⚠️ The incident occurred last Wednesday morning after Singh picked up a passenger at JFK airport.
• 🚗 Dash cam footage shows Singh narrowly avoiding another vehicle before a driver in a black Toyota cornered him.
• 🗣️ The assailant allegedly threatened Singh, saying, "You are very very lucky. You have a customer then I killed you right now."

Calls for Hate Crime Classification

• 👳 Amarjit Singh, a Sikh man who wears a traditional turban, believes the assault was motivated by his faith.
• 🤝 Indjit Singh, from the humanitarian nonprofit United Sikhs, is assisting Amarjit Singh and advocates for the case to be considered a hate crime.
• 💔 He highlighted that Sikhs have endured violence since 9/11 and expressed disappointment that people in a diverse city like New York are still unaware of the Sikh faith.

Aftermath and Ongoing Investigation

• 🤕 Amarjit Singh, who has been a taxi driver for 16 years, returned to work with heightened caution.
• 🏥 He dropped off his passenger, who was unharmed, before seeking medical attention at a hospital.
• 🚓 Police are actively searching for the driver of the black Toyota involved in the attack.