Transit police in Philadelphia say two juveniles attacked a 27-year-old Asian American woman aboard a SEPTA train Tuesday night, reports CBS Philadelphia.
The attack happened just hours after hundreds rallied against violence following the attack on Asian American high school students last month.
“No one should live in fear,” said Christina Lu at the rally. Four teens attacked the 18-year-old girl last month after she intervened when seeing the same girls harass a group of younger boys on a SEPTA train. “From the moment I stepped in, I didn’t care who either party were, I only cared to deescalate the problem,” she said.
NBC Philadelphia reports the attack Tuesday against an Asian American woman involved 12 and 13-year-old juveniles.
The attack occurred after the juveniles bumped into the woman as the train lurched forward. Police say the fight erupted when the woman pushed the two off of her.
The kids are accused of striking her in the face, breaking her glasses, and causing minor injuries including a cut to the lip and a scratch on her eye.
Prosecutors charged the two with simple assault.
The Philadelphia City Council is calling on SEPTA to move to hire more officers as it currently has 50 vacancies.
As for the juveniles who attacked her, Lu hopes they learn from this experience.
“They’re just kids and they have a great future ahead,” she said at the rally. “Everyone has been calling me a hero, but I really am not. I’m just an ordinary girl from an ordinary family who saw people in need of help and so I tried to help. I’ll continue to stand up against bullying and violence and help people in need.”
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