Hate Crimes Against Muslims: Homeless Man Calls New York Woman 'Terrorist' Before Throwing Hot Coffee In Her Face

A homeless man who accused a Muslim woman of being a “terrorist” before throwing hot coffee on her was arrested Sunday. Police said the man who verbally and physically attacked the 21-year-old woman inside of a New York City Dunkin Donuts was charged with assault as a hate crime.

Witnesses said 34-year-old Nathan Gray came into the shop in the afternoon asking for coffee. A cashier who would not release her name told New York Daily News that the man muttered something about terrorists to her after ordering his coffee, but she was unable to make out what he was saying. Then Gray reportedly went and sat by a group of Muslim women and started calling them “terrorists,” according to the cashier.

“One woman called him ‘stupid.’ So he threw his hot coffee in her face,” she said. “It was hot, hot coffee. She could have been burned. Then he swung his bag at her and it hit her in the face.”

When the woman tried to leave the store, Grey reportedly followed her and put her in a headlock, a police report said. Authorities arrived and immediately arrested Gray. The victim was offered medical attention but refused.

Hate crimes have been on the rise among a variety of groups in the U.S., according to an FBI report released in November. However, in regards to hate crimes against Muslims, the data shows a 67 percent increase in assaults, bombings, threats and property destruction over the last year.

The trend appears to have no end in sight following the presidential win by Donald Trump in the 2016 election. Not long after Trump won, dozens of Muslims and immigrants were the targets of vandalism and assaults, including one New York police officer who was threatened in early December. Aml Elsokary, a 34-year-old Muslim American was off-duty and wearing her hijab when she was verbally attacked. A man told her to “go back to your country” right after threatening to cut her throat, she told authorities.