Philippine Consulate tells Fil-Am community to be vigilant after shoving attacks on 2 elderly women in NYC

The Philippine Consulate General in New York has reminded the city's Filipino community to be extra vigilant after receiving reports about two separate attacks on two elderly Filipino women last week.

In an advisory over the weekend, the consulate reported that two Filipino women, one in her 50s and one in her 60s, were attacked while taking the subway on the same day.

“The Philippine Consulate General in New York reiterates its reminder for members of the Filipino Community to always be vigilant and to take the necessary precautions, especially when taking the subway or when outside their residences,” the consulate wrote.

A woman in her 50s reportedly hit her head after being pushed by an unidentified male assailant while descending the stairs at the Jamaica-179th Street station on Thursday.

Hours before that incident, another woman, 65, was reportedly injured after being shoved to the ground by an unidentified male assailant. The alleged incident occurred at the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train platform, also in the neighborhood of Jamaica in Queens.

“The recent spate of attacks against Filipinos and other Asian-Americans, whether triggered by racial bias or mental illness, is a serious concern that must be immediately addressed,” Consul General Elmer Cato told Philippine News Agency.

Last week’s cases were the first reported incidents of potential anti-Asian hate in New York targeted at Filipinos this year, the consulate said.

The incidents occurred weeks after New York City Mayor Eric Adams revealed his Subway Safety Plan as a countermeasure against the rising cases of violence and homelessness in the city’s subway stations and platforms.

“Mayor Eric Adams promised to make New York City safe again and we are counting on him to fulfill that promise,” Cato added.

The consulate is planning to host a self-defense and situational awareness webinar on March 28 with the help of The Black 6 Project, a humanitarian group mostly consisting of Filipino American military veterans.

Featured Image via Tdorante10 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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