Rally held at Seth Low Park for 89-year-old woman set on fire

Residents held a rally on Saturday to demand that an attack on an 89-year-old Asian woman be labeled a hate crime.

According to authorities, on July 14 at 6:45 p.m., two men approached the woman near 16th Avenue and 77th Street. One of them slapped her in the face while the other lit her shirt on fire.

Rapper Raymond Yu, known professionally as China Mac, organized the rally, which started at Seth Low Park, Bay Parkway and W. 12th Street, and made its way to the 62nd Precinct.

“Everyone here has or had a grandmother,” said China Mac. “That woman’s age is 89 years old. She could’ve been anybody’s grandmother. People put kerosene in their pockets. And they walked the street masked up, ready to set someone on fire. If that’s not a hate crime, I don’t know what is.”

“All people do need to speak out against hate crimes and racism and rising violence against any person, as in yet another example of rising criminal incidents in NYC,” said Assemblymember William Colton.

“The survivor represents what is best about Brooklyn,” said Borough President Eric Adams. “Those who committed this attack do not represent who we are.”