NYPD cop charged with hate crime after filming his own Islamophobic attack on motorist

An off-duty NYPD officer who took video of himself spewing racist insults during a road rage incident and later knocked another motorist unconscious had been hate crime charged, the New York Daily News reports.

Riggs Kwong, 50, assaulted off-duty Uber driver Abdul Motalab, 32, after calling Motalab “Muhammad” and a “terrorist” in a mock Arab accent, according to court records. Kwong repeatedly punchedd and kicked Motalab while continuing to scream racial slurs. When Motalab got up stood and tried to walk away, Kwong attacked him again.

“That’s when the defendant throws the final blow towards the victim and knocks the victim out,” said Assistant District Attorney Samantha Perlstein.

From the New York Daily News:

The two drivers began fighting after Motalab cut Kwong off while Kwong was trying to make a turn onto a service road.

Kwong’s racist taunts prior to the beating was captured on cell phone footage he took himself, prosecutors said.

“I’m trying to make a left turn here on the service road and this terrorist is terrorizing me,” he said on his video. “You’re upset because I didn’t let you make a U-Turn, Mr. Mohammed … Al Qaeda, terrorist, ISIS.”

The encounter escalated when Kwong spat on Motalab, who spat back but never threw a punch, prosecutors said.

Numerous witnesses said that Kwong started the fight, but when Kwong called police, he claimed Motalab threw the first punch.

“We have no tolerance for hate-motivated violence in Brooklyn, and the alleged conduct is especially reprehensible because the defendant is a law enforcement officer,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez in a statement.

Kwong pleaded not guilty this Monday.

Watch the video below:

He recorded himself committing the crime: NYPD officer indicted on hate crime, assault charges following anti-Muslim road rage incident.
by u/real-m-f-in-talk in PublicFreakout

Sky Palma

Before launching DeadState back in 2012, Sky Palma has been blogging about politics, social issues and religion for over a decade. He lives in Los Angeles and also enjoys Brazilian jiu jitsu, chess, music and art.