A homeless man has been arrested for attacking an Asian woman in Philadelphia.
30-year-old Alex White walked up to the 27-year-old victim, struck her in the face, and walked away. No words were exchanged.
The incident occurred near Filbert Street in Centre City at 2pm on Sunday.
“I think it’s absolutely horrible,” Germantown resident Kathleen Dunn. “It’s not right.”
White was arrested and charged with simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
“It’s very, very disturbing,” Southwest Philadelphia resident Alonda Davis said. “And it’s scary.”
Police believe the attack was not racially motivated as the suspect did not say anything before hitting the woman.
Councilmember Mark Squilla represents the city’s first district, deplored the attack.
“It’s just sad that we’ve been to several anti-Asian hate rallies,” Squilla said. “It seems like these two individuals, women, walking down the street just doing nothing but going to a destination and for whatever reason this person decides to walk up and then crack them right in the head. It is very disturbing to see that.”
“There’s people, we have community meetings throughout my district, that say the number of things they’re saying is they don’t feel safe to go outside,” Squilla said.
“They feel like lawlessness is running rampant in the City of Philadelphia and it seems like there is no recourse for these actions.”
The incident follows a series of violent attacks on Asians across America.
Most recently, a Vietnamese family was tied up in their own home by robbers who stole their entire life savings in Oakland, California.
Also in California, an elderly Asian American woman was kicked in the face by a suspect who was on parole for fatally stabbing his mother.
Meanwhile, a Japanese American man was randomly punched in the face whilst walking in Washington D.C.
In San Francisco, a 19-year-old Asian hate crime victim was shot in the eye.
Also in San Francisco, an Asian woman was attacked and dragged by a getaway car.
Additionally, a 13-year-old boy was racially attacked in Flushing.
In LA, a 28-year-old Asian mother has died in a fatal shooting in Compton.
Three weeks ago, eight women were shot and killed at three massage parlours in Atlanta.
