Assaults on Muslim New Yorkers Prompt Outrage
A woman has been accused of launching an attack in broad daylight in Brooklyn, targeting a 12-year-old girl and two women wearing hijabs. After her arrest, she was released from supervision just a day later, according to authorities and prosecutors.
The suspect, identified as Megan Horne, 34, allegedly approached a 33-year-old woman around 2:25 p.m. on Fifth Avenue near 89th Street. Reports indicate she pushed and kicked the woman while yelling hateful remarks.
She reportedly shouted, “Get out of this country,” as detailed in the criminal complaint.
Approximately eight minutes later, Horne is believed to have assaulted a 39-year-old woman from behind while she was trying to board a bus on 92nd Street, according to police reports. The court clerk mentioned that Horne told the victim, “I go first.”
The last victim, a pre-teen girl, was punched in the face at Fort Hamilton Parkway and 92nd Street around 2:35 p.m.
Horne was arrested on Wednesday and faces charges of assault and aggravated harassment, categorized as hate crimes. During her arraignment on Thursday, Judge Edward Daniels granted her supervised release despite prosecutors’ request for bail set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond.
Authorities noted that Horne has a history of similar offenses, including a previous incident in October where she allegedly assaulted a 64-year-old woman in Staten Island.
The attacks have drawn condemnation from various officials, including Mayor Zoran Mamdani, who expressed anger over the violence, particularly against vulnerable targets such as the young girl.
In her remarks on social media, Hizzner stated, “This violence is unacceptable,” underscoring the impact it has on those who visibly identify as Muslim.
Governor Kathy Hochul also voiced her concerns, expressing gratitude for the arrest related to what she described as a shameful act of Islamophobia. She emphasized that no individual, especially a child, should face such targeting due to their faith.
City Council member Kayla Santosuosso conveyed her disgust and anger over the attacks, while also acknowledging that she wasn’t surprised. She highlighted a troubling rise in anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant sentiments observed both online and offline.
Notably, police reported a spike in anti-Muslim hate crimes last month, with seven incidents compared to none in January 2025. In a broader context, anti-Semitic incidents in New York also surged by 182% in January compared to the previous year, with 31 reported cases within that month.
