hate crime on the q train

Police in New York have been investigating a possible hate crime on a Brooklyn-bound Q train this week, where a group of people celebrating Hanukkah were assaulted by another group shouting anti-semitic obscenities. Police arrested ten people, ages 19 to 20, and charged them with assault, menacing and inciting a riot: 10 arrested in Hanukkah attack on NYC subway train. Since then, some details have surfaced about the assailants, who deny that the attack was a hate crime: Hate-crime talk is 'ridiculous,' says one of accused Chanukah Q train attackers. Not a hate crime? Honestly, I can't take anyone who would pose in photos like these very seriously. It should be noted that Joseph Jirovec, one of the attackers, has a previous hate crime rap. And fellow attacker Kimberly Babajko also apparently has a history of violence: Alleged Q train attacker has violent past

I bring all of this up to highlight the actions one guy, Hassan Askari, a Bangladeshi college student who stepped up and came to the aid of the two attacked couples, receiving two black eyes in the process: JEWS' SUBWAY HERO A MUSLIM. Unfortunately, Hassan didn't get a chance to bust out his martial arts skillz: Q train hero has brown belt in karate. Still, he gets big points for being a good samaritan. Props, Hassan.