Manhattan DA opens hate crime investigation into incident involving Harris poster in store window
The Manhattan district attorney’s office said it has opened a hate crime investigation into an altercation where a New York City clothing store owner was allegedly attacked for having a Vice President Harris poster in her store window.
The district attorney’s office confirmed to The Hill that its “Hate Crimes Unit is investigating the matter, and the investigation remains ongoing.”
A district attorney spokesperson said the office cannot disclose anything on the suspect’s charges until Juan Bernal is arraigned on Sept. 25.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) confirmed that the suspect, 76-year-old Bernal was arrested Saturday and charged with assault in the third degree.
ABC News reached out to Bernal, who disputed the store owner’s claim and said he is in the process of finding a lawyer.
Tanya Young Williams owns Tanya’s Luxury Fashion Boutique in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
She said the attack happened outside her store on Aug. 30, when she was standing in her store doorway. A man walked by and came back after noticing the Harris poster and merchandise.
“He said, ‘You should have this in your window,’” Williams told ABC News, describing how Bernal pointed to his former President Trump shirt. “I moved toward him to keep him sort of out of the store and said, ‘I’m supporting Kamala.’”
Williams told the outlet that Bernal spat at her multiple times. She said she reached out and grabbed him by the shoulders, telling witnesses to call the police.
She said he allegedly pushed her, causing her to injure herself when the back of her head hit the door. Williams said she ripped off a piece of Bernal’s shirt with a button pinned reading “We stand with Israel.”
NYPD confirmed that the “individual spit on the female’s face” and she was shoved, hitting her head.
Williams said Bernal yelled racial slurs at her, but a report by NYPD does not mention the racial element. She said she was not sure why that information was not included in the police report, ABC News reported.
Williams is the ex-wife of NBA player Jayson Williams, who pleaded guilty to the 2002 accidental shooting of a limousine driver. She said she’s received support since the alleged attack.
Bernal told the outlet he went to police Saturday after hearing the allegations. He said law enforcement appreciated he showed up and is “trying to get out of this situation.”
Updated Sept. 11 at 9:10 a.m. EDT.
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