Man arrested for allegedly punching woman who called out manspreading
NEW YORK -- A man accused of punching a Brooklyn woman in the face on the subway after she complained about him manspreading has been arrested, police say.
Police arrested 56-year-old Derek Smith of Brooklyn and charged him with assault Saturday, CBS New York reports.
Sam Saia said she was attacked while riding the N train Thursday morning.
"I sat down and I existed, and I think this guy had a problem with that. He just started manspreading me extra and pushing me into the wall," she said. "I just looked at him and said, 'Alright, just calm down, just relax.'"
But that advice proved to be a big mistake.
"He just started looking at me and said, 'B***h, don't ignore me,' and he started elbowing me. So I looked at him and [he punched me], and I banged my head into the wall. After that, I just felt blood," she said.
A Good Samaritan came to Saia's rescue and forced Smith off the train. Victor Conde, 29-year-old Bensonhurst resident, told CBS New York why he stepped in and restrained Smith.
"The slogan is, 'See something, say something.' Who are you going to say it to at that moment? I had to do something," he said.
Video shows Conde getting a firm grip on the man's hands, subduing him and forcing him of the train, potentially saving Saia from even worse harm.
Police applauded the way he handled the confrontation.
Conde said his instinct to help just kicked in.
"People are throwing out the words savior or hero, I was trying to do the right thing," he said.
