The victim was walking along Canal Street when he he says a group of 15-20 people attacked him for wearing a red Make America Great Again hat, allegedly smashing his face against a pole. Police are now investigating. NBC 4 New York’s Ray Villeda reports.
What to Know
- The owner of an NYC art shop claims he was viciously beaten Tuesday evening by a group on Canal Street for wearing a MAGA hat
- With a swollen face, bruises and black eye Jahangir “John” Turan says group attacked him along Canal Street and made anti-Trump statements
- NYPD confirm a report was filed but make no mention of alleged group making any anti-Trump statements
The owner of a New York City art shop located in the exclusive Billionaire's Row area claims he was viciously beaten Tuesday evening by a group on Canal Street for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat.
With a swollen face, bruises and black eye Jahangir “John” Turan -- owner of the David Parker Gallery which sells art work by Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró, among other celebrated artists -- says he was on his way to a meeting with a client after buying a MAGA hat when he came across a group of “kids," who he described as being 18 to 20 years old, while walking on Canal Street toward West Broadway.
He says he was passing the group when a girl in the group “flipped” his hat onto the street. Allegedly, when he bent down to get it, the rest of the group “started pounding” on him, grabbed his head and hit it against a pole.
Turan claims the group was shouting anti-Trump sentiments including “f--- Trump” while attacking him.
He said the entirety of the attack only lasted mere seconds but called the incident “upsetting” and said he “felt sad because I feel the president is trying to do a good job and society just doesn’t understand.”
According to Turan, following the attack, he crossed the street, called the cops and filed a police report.
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He also alleges that when police arrived the group was still saying anti-Trump statements, but police did nothing. He says he hopes police can make an arrest.
Turan says his vision and retina are fine but he does have a fracture and plans on seeing a specialist in the upcoming week.
The NYPD confirms that an assault did take place on Canal Street Tuesday around 6:50 p.m.
According to police, the man who filed the complaint claimed to have been attacked and punched in an unprovoked manner in the head by several individuals but refused medical attention. In their statement, the NYPD did not make any mentions of the alleged perpetrators having said any anti-Trump statements.
The NYPD also said they have no description of the alleged perpetrators.
An investigation is underway.
