A New York City police union has filed a lawsuit against a man who was seen on body camera footage threatening, taunting and using racist language toward an NYPD detective who is Asian.
The Detectives Endowment Association alleges that the man seen in the video, identified as Terrell Harper, used anti-Asian slurs against Det. Vincent Chung during an incident last month that took place during a public demonstration in Manhattan. During the verbal assault, Harper can be heard on video seemingly trying to provoke Chung and threatened his mother.
The lawsuit filed by the union seeks monetary damages from Harper.
The incident occurred amid an increase in attacks against Asian Americans and the AAPI community across the city. Chung, a 16-year veteran of the department, said it is time something is done to stop acts of hate such as the incident the lawsuit alleges.
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"Looking at the video, that type of hate directed towards myself as an Asian American, is just disgusting," Chung said. "Given the current climate of Asian hate, a verbal assault like that on a uniformed NYPD detective only leads to violence."
There is currently an active warrant out for Harper's arrest. NBC New York was unable to reach the defendant for comment on the lawsuit.
