NEW YORK CITY — The owner of a New York art gallery claims he was assaulted by a group of as many as 18 teens for wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat Tuesday evening.
Jahangir Turan, 42, told police he was walking along Canal Street near Mercer Street around 6:50 p.m. when he was punched by a group of people in an unprovoked manner.
Turan claims the group of about 15 to 18 teens yelled “F*** Trump” and attacked him for being a supporter of Donald Trump. He suffered a swollen, damaged eye and injured body parts, according to WPIX.
“It’s sad to be beaten up like this because I was wearing the hat,” he said at a news conference. “This is America. Everybody has a right."
According to police, Turan refused medical attention at the scene.
Police are investigating the incident, but Turan claims they are not doing enough. He said when police arrived, they were more concerned with an unrelated double stabbing at a nearby subway station on Canal Street.
Citizen App video shows police chasing a possible stabber in the subway incident.
“I didn’t feel police cared as much as they did about subway stabbing and a few of the kids were still there,” Turan said. “Make an arrest."
Turan, who lives in Hoboken, told WPIX he will wear the hat in New Jersey, but never again in New York City.
“It is just too dangerous to wear this hat in New York City,” he said.
