Deli clerk assaulted in hate crime: cops

Police are investigating a possible hate crime in East Harlem.

Surveillance video shows a man approaching a store front.  The man allegedly asked the store clerk his ethnicity and when he answered 'Arabic' the suspect punched the man in the face.

The assault took place on East 116th Street just before 10 a.m.

The man is described by police as black, bald, with a beard and medium build. He was last seen wearing a light colored t-shirt, light colored pants, white and black sneakers, and a back pack.

If you recognize the suspect, contact police at any of the following:

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. The NYPD says all calls/texts are strictly confidential.