Authorities say a 40-year-old man is facing hate crime charges after they allege he punched and spit on a 57-year-old woman and her adult daughter on the subway because he thought they were Muslim, police sources familiar with the investigation tells News 4.
The man was riding the subway near the 67th Avenue E/M/R station when he accosted the mother and her 37-year-old daughter on Wednesday.
Authorities say the man allegedly spit on the daughter, then punched her in the face. He then hit other parts of her body several times.
When the woman's mother tried to intervene, police say he allegedly punched her in the lip and pulled her hair.
Police sources say the man called the mother and daughter, who are Orthodox Jews, "dirty Muslims."
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held on $50,000 bail.
