Prosecutors said a Massachusetts man kicked and berated a Muslim airline contract employee at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York City on Wednesday evening.
The Queens District Attorney's Office suggested 57-year-old Robin Rhodes mocked the woman's faith by fake-praying on his knees and shouting that President Donald Trump "will get rid of all of you."
Rhodes, of Worcester, was charged with nine counts including multiple hate crimes for the incident, which occurred in the airport's Delta Sky Lounge.
Brown said Rhodes, who had arrived from Aruba and was awaiting a flight to Massachusetts, approached the office door where a Delta employee was sitting and asked, "Are you (expletive) sleeping? Are you praying? What are you doing?"
Rhodes then punched the door, which hit the back of the woman's chair.
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The woman, who was wearing a hijab, asked him what she did to him. Rhodes responded, "You did nothing but I am going to kick your (expletive) ass."
Prosecutors said Rhodes then kicked the woman in the shin. She then went to a corner of the office to get away from him. Rhodes kicked the door, made his way into the office and prevented the woman from leaving.
The district attorney said a person intervened to calm Rhodes down. At that time, he stepped away from the door and the woman was able to escape to the lounge's front desk.
But Rhodes, Brown said, followed her, then got down on his knees and bowed in the manner of a praying Muslim.
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"(Expletive) Islam, (expletive) ISIS, Trump is here now," Rhodes shouted. "He will get rid of all of you. You can ask Germany, Belgium and France about these kind of people. You will see what happens."
Rhodes, after he was arrested, told police, "I couldn't tell if it was a man or woman because their back was to me and they had something covering their head."
The district attorney's office said the women suffered pain and redness in her right leg. Rhodes faces up to four years in prison and is being held on a $50,000 bond.
Brown said, "The bigotry and hatred that the defendant is accused of manifesting and acting upon have no place in a civilized society."
Delta spokesman Anthony Black called this incident, "totally unacceptable."
"Delta has made its stance clear on these types of events," he said. "People who are violent or who exhibit bullying behavior are not welcome."
The Queens District Attorney's Office suggested 57-year-old Robin Rhodes mocked the woman's faith by fake-praying on his knees and shouting that President Donald Trump "will get rid of all of you."
Rhodes, of Worcester, was charged with nine counts including multiple hate crimes for the incident, which occurred in the airport's Delta Sky Lounge.
Brown said Rhodes, who had arrived from Aruba and was awaiting a flight to Massachusetts, approached the office door where a Delta employee was sitting and asked, "Are you (expletive) sleeping? Are you praying? What are you doing?"
Rhodes then punched the door, which hit the back of the woman's chair.
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The woman, who was wearing a hijab, asked him what she did to him. Rhodes responded, "You did nothing but I am going to kick your (expletive) ass."
Prosecutors said Rhodes then kicked the woman in the shin. She then went to a corner of the office to get away from him. Rhodes kicked the door, made his way into the office and prevented the woman from leaving.
The district attorney said a person intervened to calm Rhodes down. At that time, he stepped away from the door and the woman was able to escape to the lounge's front desk.
But Rhodes, Brown said, followed her, then got down on his knees and bowed in the manner of a praying Muslim.
Law Center: Hate crime activity has declined since election
"(Expletive) Islam, (expletive) ISIS, Trump is here now," Rhodes shouted. "He will get rid of all of you. You can ask Germany, Belgium and France about these kind of people. You will see what happens."
Rhodes, after he was arrested, told police, "I couldn't tell if it was a man or woman because their back was to me and they had something covering their head."
The district attorney's office said the women suffered pain and redness in her right leg. Rhodes faces up to four years in prison and is being held on a $50,000 bond.
Brown said, "The bigotry and hatred that the defendant is accused of manifesting and acting upon have no place in a civilized society."
Delta spokesman Anthony Black called this incident, "totally unacceptable."
"Delta has made its stance clear on these types of events," he said. "People who are violent or who exhibit bullying behavior are not welcome."
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