Manspreading leads to subway assault
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Brooklyn woman says she was punched in the mouth when she complained about a fellow passenger’s manspreading.
Manspreading is when a person uses their body or belongings to take up more than one seat.
Sam Saia says a fellow passenger was determined to show her who was boss, and says it could have been worse were it not for a Good Samaritan who came to her defense.
Saia’s lip is still swollen from the attack Thursday morning during her commute on the N train, reported CBS2’s Jessica Moore.
Manspreading Leads To Subway Assault
“I sat down and I existed and I think this guy had a problem with that. He just started manspreading me extra and pushing me into the wall,” Saia said. “I just looked at him and said ‘Alright, just calm down, just relax.'”
Saia said that friendly advice proved to be a big mistake.
“He just started looking at me and said ‘B***h, don’t ignore me’ and he started elbowing me so I looked at him and [he punched me], and I banged my head into the wall. After that I just felt blood,” Saia told Moore.
Video shows a fellow straphanger coming to Saia’s rescue – not a moment too soon.
“Get off the train bro, you just f***ing hit a lady,” he said.
“He tried to subdue him and he actually threw him off the train,” Saia said.
With her attacker out of sight, Saia said that the shock wore off and reality set in.
“I didn’t realize he hit me at first. It registered after I saw the blood,” she said.
Saia told Moore she’s grateful for the man who stepped in on her behalf.
“Thank you. Just keep being you,” Saia said. “We need more amazing, good-hearted men out there.”
Saia has a warning for other subway attackers: In a time when everything is recorded, bad behavior will not go unnoticed.
“It’s going to come back to you… the power of social media.”
Saia wants the MTA to hand over surveillance video of the attacker so people will see who he is, and maybe he’ll be shamed into keeping his legs out of the aisle, and his hands to himself.