NYPD probes attack on Columbia Univ. victim told to go back to his country
The New York Police Department is investigating an attack on a Columbia University staff member who says he was struck in the head and had xenophobic remarks shouted at him last week near campus.
The New York Police Department is investigating an attack on a Columbia University staff member who says he was struck in the head and had xenophobic remarks shouted at him last week near campus.
Ben Chang, the university’s spokesperson and vice president for communications, was on his way to work on June 17 when a man approached him just a few blocks from school, began yelling at him and hit him with a metal water bottle, according to the NYPD. Chang told NBC News that during the altercation, the man told him to “go back to your f‐‐‐‐‐‐ country” and continued following him for some time after the assault.
So far, no arrests have been made, but the NYPD said the Hate Crime Task Force was notified about the attack.
“It’s important to report what happened both in my own case, but also for overall, trying to make sure this sort of thing doesn’t happen in the future,” Chang said. “I’m born and raised in the D.C. area. My mom grew up in West Virginia. We don’t get much more American and apple pie. And that’s jarring.”
Ben Chang.Columbia UniversityChang, 52, said the confrontation was unprompted, that he didn’t speak to the man or bump into him. As the man yelled at him, Chang said he attempted to ignore him and kept walking, but the man then struck him anyway.
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