Crime & Safety
Worcester Man Attacks Muslim Airport Worker: Trump 'Will Get Rid Of You All'
A Worcester man is facing hate crime charges after he allegedly attacked an airport worker at JFK.
BOSTON – A Worcester man is facing charges after he allegedly attacked a worker at JFK Airport on Wednesday night, yelling expletives at her and mocking her while invoking President Trump's name, the Queens County District Attorney said.
Robin Rhodes, 57, had arrived from Aruba for a connecting flight when he spotted a woman, Delta employee Rabeeya Khan, with a head scarf working in the Delta Sky Lounge. He allegedly told the Khan "Trump will get rid of you," according to the DA's press release.
Rhodes then allegedly taunted Khan and asked, "Are you [expletive] sleeping? Are you praying? What are you doing?" before he punched the door, kicked her in the leg and wouldn't let her leave. When Khan ask Rhodes what she had done, he allegedly replied, "You did nothing but I'm going to kick your [expletive] ass."
When another person came in to try and calm Rhodes down, Khan ran out of the office, but Rhode followed her, the release says. He then allegedly imitated Muslim praying and shouted "[Expletive] Islam, [expletive] ISIS, Trump is here now. He will get rid of you all. You can ask Germany, Belgium, and France about these kind of people. You will see what happens."
Rhodes was arraigned Thursday in New York on charges of a third-degree assault as a hate crime, second-degree unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, third-degree menacing as a hate crime, first-degree harassment as a hate crime, third-degree assault, second-degree unlawful imprisonment, second-degree aggravated harassment, menacing and first-degree harassment. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.
“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," Queens DA Richard Brown said. "Crimes of hate will never be tolerated here and when they do, regrettably occur, those responsible will be brought to justice."
And for those wondering, yes, the DA's release did say the Rhodes was from "Worchester."
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
