Alleged assailant in anti-Asian assault in NYC (via Crimestoppers) An Asian American woman was violently assaulted on the sidewalks of Manhattan on Monday afternoon as nearby witnesses did nothing to intervene. Surveillance cameras captured the attack on video as a man approached the 65-year-old woman just a few blocks from Times Square as she was making her way to church. In the clip, the man can be seen kicking her in the stomach knocking her to the ground while shouting anti-Asian slurs. According to police reports, he continued punching and stomping her face while saying “(Expletive) you, you don’t belong here.” Witnesses say one man did chase the perpetrator down the street, but the assailant reportedly pulled a knife and he got away.
DISTURBING VIDEO: 65-year-old Asian woman randomly attacked by a man on her way to church. Cops say the victim was punched and kicked until she fell to the ground as the suspect made anti-Asian statements toward her. https://t.co/Vu7JyHho4Spic.twitter.com/XIJ9Nk1ibT
Warning, graphic video: another angle of a 65-year-old Asian woman being brutally attacked on W 43rd st yesterday… police still looking for the attacker. The people who work in the building and did nothing to help her have been suspended. @NY1pic.twitter.com/zrT4FICM7I
In the foreground of the video clip, two men who appear to be doormen or security guards inside the lobby of a building clearly see the attack as it’s happening. Only one man moved towards the woman, but it was to close the door and remain uninvolved. Local ABC News affiliate ABC7 reports “the NYPD Asian Hate Crime Task Force said the security guard captured on video closing the door failed to render aid, and the staff in question has been suspended pending further investigation.” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also called the security guard’s inaction “absolutely unacceptable.” “I don’t care who you are, I don’t care what you do, you got to help your fellow New Yorker,” de Blasio said. A spokesman for the security guard’s service union said in a statement the building’s door staff “called for help immediately” and asked the public “to avoid a rush to judgment while the facts are determined.” The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where she was treated for a fractured pelvis and several head injuries, according to ABC7. During an interview with NY1, NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea called the attack “very disturbing.” “It’s really disgusting when you see the video,” he continued. “We are calling on all New Yorkers, anyone with information. We put out a pretty good picture of the individual we want to talk to, that was seen walking away. You try to make sense of it, and you can’t. I don’t know who attacks a 65-year-old woman and leaves her on the street like that.” Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Screen capture of alleged assailant in anti-Asian hate crime The Police Commissioner also announced that he is upping the number of uniformed officers in predominately Asian neighborhoods. “An attack on one group is an attack on all, and that’s the thing we have to keep enforcing here,” added Shea. “Whether it’s anti-Black, anti-Asian, anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, anti-LGBTQ, when New Yorkers come together and just say enough is enough, I think we are getting in the right direction.” This new assault occurs amid an increase in violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, including the March 16 shootings at three Atlanta-area spas that killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women. A recent report from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, found that in America’s largest 16 cities anti-Asian hate crimes increased 150 percent in 2020.
NYPD says 65-year-old Asian American woman was walking to church this morning when suspect assaulted her and said “f*** you, you don’t belong here.” Happened in front of 360 W. 43rd St. 11:40am. Sources say building security guard not only failed to render her aid… 1/2 pic.twitter.com/ZLtQEHHJci
Sharon Osbourne (screen capture)Sharon Osbourne tells ET she doesn’t know if she’ll be returning to The Talk after the recent dust-up on her gabfest when things got ugly between her and fellow co-host Sheryl Underwood. The brouhaha erupted out of Osbourne’s defense of her friend Piers Morgan, who had attacked Meghan Markle as a liar after Markle and Prince Harry sat down for an extensive interview with Oprah Winfrey. From the LA Times:
Last Wednesday, Osbourne said, a producer asked her if she would “clear up the Piers thing again” even if “maybe one of them doesn’t agree with you.” But she didn’t expect [Elaine] Welteroth to bring up antiracism and she didn’t expect Underwood to imply she was giving cover to racism.
“I’ve been set up,” Osbourne told “ET,” describing her thoughts in the moment. “And I went, like, how dare you all do this to me? I’m your sacrificial lamb.”
Osbourne did admit to “having a go” at Underwood, her friend of 11 years, including when she told Underwood “don’t try and cry,” reserving that right for herself.
“I should never have said [anything] about her tears,” she told ET. “I should never have dismissed her feelings on national TV. Ever. But I said it, I have to own it.”
While Osbourne maintains she is not racist in any way, a video clip from 2018 shows a discussion of Meghan Markle’s skin color that doesn’t help Osbourne today. In the clip, Underwood is speaking about Markle (who is half-Black) saying “…she brought Blackness to the royal family — which is not the first time…” “She ain’t Black!” Osbourne counters. And when her co-hosts try to correct her, Osbourne declares, “No, I know. But she doesn’t look Black!”
Sharon Osbourne on Meghan Markle in 2018: “She ain’t black. She doesn’t look black.” pic.twitter.com/e4pRoHD2gW
Breonna Taylor It was exactly one year ago today that an innocent young Black woman lost her life in a late-night police raid gone wrong as police gunfire rained through her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky. From the New York Times:
For months, her death went largely unrecognized. Once more people took notice, though, the city was shaken to its core. Protests rocked the downtown area during the summer and fall as demonstrators demanded justice through tears and megaphones and erected a memorial in a prominent square. They prayed together and sang together, chanting, “Say her name!”
Breonna Taylor became a rallying cry, and when no officers were charged in connection with her death, which occurred during a botched drug raid, protesters returned to the streets. Activists are optimistic that the first anniversary of her death, on Saturday, will further fuel a promising surge of civic engagement, particularly from Black residents.
“What happened to Breonna Taylor has shaped every aspect of our lives,” said Charles Booker, a former state representative for Louisville. “Her door being kicked in was our door being kicked in. It really has transformed everything.”
For those who aren’t aware, the police got a tip Taylor’s apartment was being used to traffic drugs. They got the address wrong. According to reports, the police burst through the door in the middle of the night under the use of what’s known as a ‘no-knock warrant’ which means they didn’t announce who they were before entering. Taylor was shot dead in her bed. Over the course of a year, none of the officers who fired into the apartment that night has been charged for the death of Taylor. Read the full article.
Breonna Taylor’s death was a tragedy, a blow to her family, her community, and America. As we continue to mourn her, we must press ahead to pass meaningful police reform in Congress. I remain committed to signing a landmark reform bill into law.
Today, I #SayHerName. Breonna Taylor. Her life and her dreams were needlessly cut short. @POTUS and I will continue to push for police reform. We’re committed to working with Congress to get it done.
Saying her name is about honor. Saying her name is about respect. Saying her name is about accountability. Saying her name is about equal protection. Saying her name is about demanding action. Saying her name is about justice. Breonna Taylor. Breonna Taylor. Breonna Taylor.
One year after she was murdered by police officers, it is a disgrace that we are still waiting on justice for Breonna Taylor. Yes, her life mattered. The time is long overdue for us to combat systemic racism and a broken criminal justice system.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (photo: Joe Pugliese/Harpo Productions) After a compelling interview by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with Oprah Winfrey, Buckingham Palace has finally broken its silence after two days. From the New York Times:
Buckingham Palace broke nearly 48 hours of silence Tuesday about a bombshell interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, saying “the whole royal family is saddened” and expressing concern about the issue of racism the couple had raised.
Assertions that a member of the royal family had raised concerns about the skin color of the couple’s son, Archie, and that a desperate Meghan had contemplated suicide dominated national discussion in Britain, where the interview with Oprah Winfrey was broadcast Monday evening.
On Tuesday, Piers Morgan, the co-host of “Good Morning Britain” on ITV news, who came under attack for saying he “didn’t believe a word” of the interview, resigned, the network said. Britain’s communications regulator received more than 41,000 complaints about his comment, it said.
Piers Morgan just walked off the Good Morning Britain set (!!!) after co-presenter Alex Beresford defended Harry and Meghan and condemned Piers' treatment of them in yesterday's programming pic.twitter.com/mH75J8ND4O
Miya Ponsetto gives Gayle King ‘the hand’ (screen captures)
Miya Ponsetto, dubbed ‘Soho Karen’ in the press after accusing a Black teen of stealing her cell phone, was ‘forcibly arrested’ in California Thursday night.
NBC News reports the 22-year-old woman refused to stop her car when the police first contacted her. Upon reaching her home, she resisted arrest and had to be forcibly removed from her car.
During the incident, she tried to slam a car door on one of the officers which earned her an additional charge of resisting arrest.
Miya Ponsetto (mugshot via Ventura County Sheriff’s Office)
You may recall Ponsetto garnering national attention when she accused (and eventually assaulted) the 14-year-old son of jazz musician Keyon Harrold of stealing her cell phone in the lobby of the Arlo Hotel in SoHo in New York City.
On social media, Harrold shared video footage of Ponsetto growing hysterical during the altercation that ended with her tackling the teen as he tried to exit the scene.
p.s. turned out she’d left the phone in an Uber and the driver had already returned the phone to the front desk of the hotel.
Prior to her arrest, Ponsetto recorded an interview with CBS This Morning’s Gayle King that aired on Friday morning.
Sitting next to her attorney and wearing a black ‘Daddy’ hat, Ponsetto did herself no favors by deflecting and/or denying practically any wrongdoing in the December 26 incident.
Speaking with King, Ponsetto admitted she could have “maybe not yelled at him like that and made him feel some sort of inferior way and making him feel as if I was like hurting his feelings.”
But describing herself as “super sweet,” she told King she “never, ever meant for it to hurt him or his father.”
And yet, she tackled the teen, so, there’s that…
She also seemed confused as to how assaulting a teenage boy could be seen as criminal.
“I don’t feel like this one mistake defines me,” she added.
When King tried to put Ponsetto’s actions into context – that she’d physically attacked a teenaged boy, she responded, “How is one girl accusing a guy about a phone a crime? Where’s the context in that? What is the deeper story here?”
You’l note that the 22-year-old suddenly refers to herself as a “girl” but the 14-year-old she assaulted is “a guy.” Talk about coded language…
King again attempted to help Ponsetto own up to her actions saying, “You’re 22-years-old, you’re old enough to know better.”
“Alright, Gayle, enough,” replied Ponsetto complete with a ‘shut it’ hand motion.
Oh no she didn’t…
It was at that point that the attorney finally chimed in whispering, “Ok, ok, stop, stop…”
Just to add perspective, Ponsetto was charged with public intoxication and battery at a Beverly Hills hotel last year in February, and also arrested for driving while intoxicated in Van Nuys, California, on May 28. Miss Thing can get a bit messy it seems. Ponsetto’s lawyer, Sharon Ghatan, told NBC News her client “suffers from a lot of anxiety attacks” and has concerns that she may be “emotionally and mentally unwell.” Gayle King shared at the end of her segment this morning that a second part of the interview will air on Monday. Twitter was not impressed by Miss Miya:
She showed up to that interview with a mid drift tank top, a leather jacket, a dingy hat that says “daddy” and audacity.
A DUI, public intoxication charge and assaulting a child all in one year? Get this her off the streets. — Social distancing is my jam! (@OFL_ATLGA) January 8, 2021
Props to Gayle for keeping her cool as best she could because you can see it in her face that she wanted to rip that little girl a new asshole. I’m wondering what her parents are like having raised a child that shows up to an interview lookin and acting that way… pic.twitter.com/jC2NUGM853
“I sincerely apologize if I made the son feels as if I assaulted him…”
Bish, you jumped on him. On camera. There are no *feelings* here. You actually assaulted a stranger. There is nothing subjective about this. — James Baldwin was a genius. (@incogneglo) January 8, 2021
Self-described racist Paul Ng (screen captures)TMZ reports that an Arizona man, identified as Paul Ng, told a Black man shooting an episode for his podcast on a public street that he was in a “no n*gg*r zone.” Andre Abram was recording an episode for his podcast in Old Town Scottsdale, AZ last Friday with his cameraman, who’s also African-American. As they were recording, they noticed Ng scoping them out. Abram’s camera was rolling when Ng strolled over and asked the two men what they were doing. Ng explained that “we’ve had problems here,” before going on to admit that he is, in fact, a racist. Abram calmly explained that they were not, in fact, in a “no n*ggr zone,” but Ng continued to ask Abram questions about where he’s from and why he’s there. Abram didn’t escalate the situation, but eventually police tracked Ng down at his home where he was cited for disorderly conduct. It turns out Ng was a Realtor with Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty – “was” because the real estate office fired Ng upon learning of his abhorrent behavior. The broker there also recommended Ng’s state license be revoked. And there you have it.
This is an anti-Black racist Asian man named Paul Ng of Scottsdale AZ..He was fired from his job after he tried to provoke an altercation with a Black man.
(screen captures) The gay birdwatcher who was the target of hysterical threats by ‘Central Park Karen’ Amy Cooper says he won’t be participating in her prosecution since she’s “already paid a steep price.” Cooper became infamous in May when she encountered Christian Cooper (no relation) in a quiet part of Central Park. A Harvard graduate who works in communications, Mr. Cooper is on the board of the New York Audubon Society and an avid bird watcher. Just before 8 a.m. on May 25, Mr. Cooper’s birdwatching was interrupted by Ms. Cooper who was calling loudly after her unleashed dog. When he asked her to put the dog on a leash as park rules require, she refused. As the incident escalated, she called the police claiming “an African-American man is threatening my life.” In the aftermath of the encounter, she lost her dog and her job as well as being publicly shamed. Since the video was posted to Twitter, the clip has been viewed over 44 million times. https://twitter.com/sanosbo1/status/1280225043306463235 The New York Times reports the Manhattan district attorney’s office charged Ms. Cooper on Monday “with filing a false police report, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.” But Mr. Cooper, who is openly gay, says he has not been involved in the investigation and doesn’t plan on taking part in her prosecution. “On the one hand, she’s already paid a steep price,” Mr. Cooper said in a statement to the Times. “That’s not enough of a deterrent to others? Bringing her more misery just seems like piling on.” “If the DA feels the need to pursue charges, he should pursue charges,” he added. “But he can do that without me.” Ms. Cooper’s attorney, Robert Barnes, predicts his client will be found not guilty for what he characterized as a “misunderstood 60-second video.” “She lost her job, her home, and her public life,” Mr. Barnes said in a statement to the Times. “Now some demand her freedom? How many lives are we going to destroy over misunderstood 60-second videos on social media?” Most cases of filing a false police report don’t end up with charges filed as the police generally want citizens to report crimes. Legal analysts say in this case, the racial component as well as the strong evidence makes for broader implications in regard to future instances of white people calling in false police reports against Black people.
(screen captures via TikTok) A young woman sits down under a sheltering tree on the lawn of a church in North Hollywood, California. Because churches are welcoming and all that…right? Apparently not so much if you happen to be a young Black woman. TikTok user Thaddeus Shafer shared this video taken by his friend Alex, an actor and stunt woman in Los Angeles who’s appeared in films like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. In the video, an elderly woman records the incident as a gentleman (who we’ll refer to as ‘Handyman Joe’ for this little post) is hanging a ‘No Trespassing’ sign on a tree. Please note he’s hanging it on the side of the tree NOT facing the street or sidewalk. “Did you go buy that just for me?” asks Alex. “Just for you,” replies Handyman Joe. “You know, we used to be real nice about it.” “You could still choose to be nice about it – you’re choosing not to be,” Alex points out. As he drills a hole in the side of the tree, Alex asks, “So, this is a precursor to you calling the cops?” “Yes,” says Handyman Joe. Just for clarity, Alex inquires, “So you’re willing to call the cops on someone sitting on the grass when there are clear crimes they could be taking care of?” “Yes, ma’am,” says Handyman Joe. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the issue of race comes up as Handyman Joe turns to declare, “All lives matter.” Even Joe’s assistant is a bit shook over the random remark.
@thaddeusshaferTomorrow I’ll try to hang out there as a white person minding my own business like Alex did and see what happens. Stay tuned.♬ Ride It – Regard
Out of respect for folks at the church who may not know this foolishness occurred, I won’t type the name here. However, I literally lived just down the street from this church when I first moved to Los Angeles. Over on reddit, folks found the situation to be pretty over-the-top ridiculous.
“Let’s drill a hole into our tree so we can install a no trespassing sign facing the building.”
“It was 100 percent targeting her specifically because it’s facing away from the street.”
“Unprompted, he blurted out ‘ALL lives matter!’ confirming that race was forefront in his mind. I’ll bet he’s been watching the demonstrations and riots and raging at his TV, and has been itching for an opportunity to confront one of those people.”
“One might think all Christians would embrace anyone chilling out on the church lawn and see it as chance to make a heart-felt connection to someone from the world community.”
In four hours, the post on Reddit has received over 25k upvotes and over 2.5k comments. What are your thoughts, readers? Was this a racist action? Do you think a white person would have been received in the same manner? Share your opinions in the comment section below. (source: reddit)
An interracial family in Raleigh, NC, received a threatening racist letter (screen capture) An interracial family living in a north Raleigh neighborhood shared with local news station WRAL an unsigned letter warning against posting any signs in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. The note read:
“Before you think about putting any signage up in your yard, or if you had any idea about making a public statement on your property regarding George Floyd or racism, please remember that the rest of us live in an upscale neighborhood and have spent the extra money to stay out of mixed neighborhoods and/or the ghetto.
“No one wants trouble or any circumstance arising which could turn our neighborhood into a “semi-ghetto.” Please keep your husband and teenage kids well behaved and orderly because no one is interested in your or their “struggles.”
Keep matters inside your own house and do your best to keep this area upscale and free of that element. Most of us would not hesitate to call the police if your kids or husband gets unruly, so please be considerate of everyone else living amongst you.”
“Free of that element…” The letter was signed without a name but expressed “sincere gratitude.” (screen capture via WRAL) The family declined to appear on-camera but several neighbors spoke to WRAL regarding the ugliness of the missive. Kate Pirrung, a neighbor in the Wakefield Plantation neighborhood told WRAL, “I was horrified, appalled, disappointed…sad.” “I couldn’t believe that someone in my neighborhood – that close to me – would have written something so mean,” said neighbor Marianna Morin. Neighbor Armand Morin pointed to the implicit threat in the note. “In the end, underneath all the context, it was a threat: Don’t do this. We’ll report you. We’ll send people over to your house – the police in this particular incident,” said Armand. In response to the note, the family sent out copies to all of their neighbors along with a message of their own. “If you did not write this letter, we wanted you to be aware of what has happened in our neighborhood,” the family wrote. “If you are the person that wrote this letter, we will not be intimidated by your cowardly act and ignorance. We are happy to have a discussion regarding love, respect and racism if your have the courage.” “Something has to change,” Pirrung said. “We are all God’s children. What happened to love thy neighbor, treat each other with respect and kindness?” “It’s not just in the city,” said Marianna Morin of the explicit racism. “It’s not just in the streets. It’s in this neighborhood.” The family issued a public statement regarding the letter to WRAL. “We want to acknowledge that this letter does not compare to some of the more dire circumstances many people find themselves in on a regular basis due to bigotry,” wrote the family. “However, it was shocking and ignorant.” “The outrage, support and kind words expressed to us by so many in our community have overpowered the hate expressed from the one person who wrote the letter,” they continued. “Our hope is for this to inspire respectful conversations and courageous self-examination about bias and racism.” “To the person who wrote the letter, we pray for your heart to be released from bitterness and filled with understanding and compassion for others,” the family added. “Black lives do matter.” You can watch the report from WRAL below.
Michael and I have been adopted by 14-year-old beagle rescue, Snoopy Some news items you might have missed: • Dog Life: I wanted to share a new addition to our family here at The Randy Report, the handsome Snoopy (above), a 14-year-old beagle rescue. After serious consideration, Michael and I decided we didn’t want Snoopy to live his last years without a forever family, and we feel that this journey will be completely different from our 23 years raising the ‘dachshund dynasty’ from puppyhood. Snoopy is settling in quite well, and we can’t wait to spoil him with attention and love. • ESPN: Thomas Beattie, a British former pro footballer for Warriors FC in Singapore, came out as gay in an essay for ESPN on Tuesday. “I prayed that I would wake up and this would all disappear, although deep down I knew I was praying for the wrong thing. I needed to ask for the strength to accept myself.” • New Music: St. Panther shares her latest single/music video, “These Days,” was written in memory of a friend who overdosed on the night of his birthday. “This song is my real-time experience with re-establishing a new relationship to life in the days following through the simple act of making it to the next day,” the artist explains. The track blends raw feeling over a hypnotic hybrid of soul swagger, jazz eloquence, and hip-hop heat. The video was created by the artist herself.
• Spectrum News: Donnie Lee Barrigar, a self-described flat-earther, recorded himself taking down a Pride flag flying over City Hall in Watertown, NY, and throwing it away. In posting his video online, Barrigar wrote the First Amendment gives him the right to do what he did. Last year, before a pride event in the city, he posted to social media how he wished a mass shooting would happen. Gov. Cuomo has directed the New York State Police to assist Watertown Police in this investigation. • Reuters: The organizers of Singapore’s annual gay pride Pink Dot rally vowed on Tuesday to push ahead with an online event after nearly 30,000 people signed a petition demanding restrictions and called the content “immoral”. • Baltimore Sun: A video went viral after a Black child was denied entry to Baltimore’s Ouzo Bay restaurant due to its ‘dress code’ while a white child was captured in the same video wearing the same clothing finishing his meal. The parent company, Atlas Restaurant Group, issued an apology.
Today, we learned of an incredibly disturbing incident that occurred at one of our restaurants in Baltimore, Ouzo Bay. We sincerely apologize to Marcia Grant, her son & everyone impacted by this painful incident. This situation does not represent who or what Atlas stands for. pic.twitter.com/jsofGRLVw1
— Atlas Restaurant Group (@AtlasBaltimore) June 23, 2020
