ASTORIA — The man who attacked a local Muslim shop owner last month — allegedly telling the victim he wanted to "kill Muslims" — is being charged with a hate crime, officials said.
Piro Kolvani, 55, of Jacksonville, Florida, was indicted Monday on four charges including third degree assault as a hate crime and second degree aggravated harassment for the Dec. 5 incident, which sparked local outrage and an outpouring of public support for shop owner Sarker Haque.
Haque, 52, told DNAinfo that Kolvani said "I kill Muslims" and punched him repeatedly after coming into his store that afternoon and walking around the store asking if items were free.
Police said last month that they were investigating the assault as a potential hate crime, though Kolvani was originally issued a desk appearance ticket for the incident.
Kolvani's attorney, Michael Siff, disputed the victim's account and said there was no allegation of anti-Muslim statements when his client was originally arrested last month.
"We're disputing any claim that there were words uttered by my client that indicated any type of hate crime," he said, saying that Kolvani is married to a Muslim woman.
In a statement on Monday, Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas — who organized a rally in support of Haque shortly after the attack — applauded the hate crime charge.
"These felony charges reflect the serious nature of the crime against Mr. Haque and state unequivocally that hate and violence have no home in our community," she said.
Kolvani, who faces up to four years in prison if convicted, is due back in court Feb. 11, according to the Queens District Attorney's Office.
