Prosecutor: Man attacked Muslim airline worker, said Trump "will get rid of all of you"
NEW YORK -- A Massachusetts man is accused of attacking a Muslim airline employee at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, allegedly kicking and shouting obscenities at the woman and telling her that President Donald Trump “will get rid of all of you,” authorities said.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office said Robin Rhodes, of Worcester, had arrived from Aruba and was awaiting a connecting flight to Massachusetts Wednesday night when he approached Delta employee Rabeeya Khan, who wears a hijab, while she was sitting in her office.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said Rhodes came up to the door and went on a profanity-laced tirade, asking the woman if she was praying.
Rhodes came up to the door and said, “Are you [expletive] sleeping? Are you praying? What are you doing?” prosecutors alleged. Prosecutors said he then punched the door, which hit the back of Khan’s chair, reports CBS New York.
Khan asked Rhodes what she did to him, prosecutors said. He replied, “You did nothing but I am going to kick your [expletive],” prosecutors said.
Rhodes then allegedly kicked Khan in the right leg, prosecutors said. Khan moved to a corner of the office in an effort to get away, but Rhodes allegedly kicked in the door, stepped into the office and blocked Khan from leaving, prosecutors said.
When another person tried to calm him down, Brown said Rhodes moved away from the door and Khan ran out of the office. Rhodes followed her, got down on his knees and began to bow down in imitation of a Muslim praying, shouted obscenities and said “Trump is here now. He will get rid of all of you. You can ask Germany, Belgium and France about these kind of people. You see what happens,” Brown said.
At the time of his arrest, Rhodes allegedly told police, “I guess I am going to jail for disorderly conduct. I couldn’t tell if it was a man or woman because their back was to me and they had something covering their head.”
Rhodes was charged with assault, unlawful imprisonment, menacing and harassment as hate crimes. He could face up to four years in prison if convicted, according to CBS New York.
It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney who can comment on the charges.
Prosecutors said Khan was in fear and left with substantial pain and redness in her right leg, the station reports.
“The bigotry and hatred that the defendant is accused of manifesting and acting upon have no place in a civilized society - especially in Queens County, the most culturally diverse county in the nation,” Brown said. “Crimes of hate will never be tolerated here and when they do, regrettably occur, those responsible will be brought to justice.”
