07.09.07
OCA-NY COMMENDS NYPD FOR ARREST OF HATE CRIME ASSAILANTS; URGES DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE TO VIGOROUSLY PROSECUTE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW
For Immediate Release
Contact Information:
Vicki Shu Smolin, President: 646-263-6044
Elizabeth R. OuYang, Executive Vice President: 718-596-0143
OCA-NY COMMENDS NYPD FOR ARREST OF HATE CRIME ASSAILANTS; URGES DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE TO VIGOROUSLY PROSECUTE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW
 Scale 4 Physical Attack: The majority group vandalize minority group things, they burn property and carry out violent attacks on individuals or groups. Physical harm is done to members of the minority group. Examples: lynchings of blacks, pogroms against Jews in Europe, tarring and feathering Mormons in the 1800s. |
July 6, 2007 – The Organization of Chinese Americans, New York Chapter (OCA-NY) commends the NYPD Fifth Precinct Hate Crimes Unit for seriously pursuing the July 2 hate crime in Chinatown with the arrest of Michael Ostrosky and Steven Sackaris, both age 22 on hate crimes charges of aggravated assault, assault in the 2nd degree and menacing in the 3rd degree. OCA-NY now urges New York County’s District Attorney’s office to vigorously prosecute the individuals on all charges.
On July 2, two Chinese American men, Mr. Cheng and Mr. Jia were beaten up by two white males, using racial slurs (f***ing c***), telling them to “Go back to your country” and “This is for the Korean War,” according to reports in the World Journal and The New York Post. The racial incident resulted from a traffic dispute, although both Chinese men were walking and one victim was merely a bystander.
Comments Elizabeth R. OuYang, OCA-NY Executive Vice President, and a practicing civil rights attorney, “This unfortunately is the most frequent type of hate crime – where the victims are assaulted and not hospitalized and the perpetrators flee. In these cases, victims often don’t report the crime and the police regard these incidents as low priority. We therefore highly commend the diligence of the Fifth Precinct in pursuing this case.”
In a letter to New York County District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, Vicki Shu Smolin, OCA-NY President, stated that these individuals “had the audacity to commit these hate crimes against Mr. Cheng and Mr. Jia in the middle of Chinatown and then flee. Therefore, a strong signal must be sent that hate crimes against Chinese Americans will not be tolerated. They must be prosecuted to the fullest extent under the law.”
Over the past year, OCA-NY has worked on a number of issues dealing with hate crimes, including addressing the root causes of hate crimes. Earlier this year, OCA-NY helped ensure that the two assailants in the Douglaston, Queens hate crime incident were charged with hate crimes. The Douglaston case also resulted from a traffic dispute. OCA-NY has also been working with the media to fight the negative portrayal of Asian Americans that can lead to bigotry, and more seriously, hate crimes. In addition, in its efforts to prevent hate crimes at all levels, OCA-NY has launched a hate crimes prevention project that empowers youth to speak out against hate crimes, using art as an activism tool.
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Founded in 1973, OCA is a national non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans. With a national headquarters in Washington DC and over 80 chapters and affiliates across the country, OCA embraces the hopes and aspirations of the nearly 12 million Americans of Chinese and Asian/Pacific Islander ancestry in the United States. The New York Chapter was founded in 1976.
David Z. said,
July 11, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Now that these two cowardly pricks have been caught when are they going to publish their pictures.
I for one would love to see the faces of these bottom feeding lowlifes.
Especially now I know where they live.
HN said,
July 12, 2007 at 2:26 am
Great news!
bonnie said,
July 16, 2007 at 2:52 pm
David - your the coward talking smack over the internet, get a life.
J said,
July 26, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Talking smack over the internet? Stuff like that happens all the time. Get over it.
Get Real said,
August 17, 2007 at 1:21 pm
CMON, when are Asians gonna get treated like everyone else???? These wannabe tough guys get beat up in a traffic incident and its a hate crime, thats just pure bull s***. Those unfortunate whites in the douglaston case and the whites in this case are the real victims, victims of a society that is run by politicians seeking fame and reelection.
john said,
September 25, 2007 at 2:37 am
People exchange words all the time it happens to every one…….They just have to blow it up for no reason…..Its like somone from jersey sayin to someone in texas this is for the civil warr….ITS IN THE PAST…..who cares that hes asian…..Hes in america …….if hes not a citizen then dont make a fuss and if he is its just like and italian callin and irish person a mickkk……so give it up and let it goo …..treat it as a fight not a racial crime…..