Racism and public harassment continue to spark outrage across the United States. Many of these cases reignite painful conversations about hate, justice, and whether anyone feels safe out in public. Just this week in New York City, things escalated when a man in a MAGA hat-wearing man harassed a Black woman and set her boots on fire. Now, he’s facing criminal charges.
In the video, a man in a red MAGA hat and his friend walk up to a 54-year-old Black woman on a busy Manhattan street. Things go downhill fast as a racist confrontation breaks out, filled with slurs and harassment. At one point, one of the men even tries to set her boots on fire. Someone shared the video online, and it didn’t take long for the police to get involved.
Police say it happened on February 19, right at the corner of West 26th Street and Seventh Avenue in Chelsea, AMNY reported. The two men approached the woman, and when she tried to push one of them away, he started yelling anti-Black slurs, even using the N-word, and made disgusting comments about race and power. The situation just kept getting worse from there.
Video footage from the scene and posts on social media show a man in a red MAGA hat trying to block a woman from leaving while his friend filmed everything on a smartphone. Police say the men were verbally abusive and hostile, ignoring the woman every time she tried to get away.
Things got worse when the main suspect pulled out a lighter and set the woman’s boots on fire. She didn’t get hurt, but her boots, worth around $89, were ruined. Not long after the story broke, the two men reportedly posted more videos online. In these clips, they walked through Manhattan, reacting to the news coverage, still harassing people on the street and mocking bystanders. Police caught up with them near Bryant Park and made the arrest.
Police say Michael Santiago, 31, and Michael James, 33, both from Manhattan, are now facing a string of charges, including attempted assault and criminal mischief as hate crimes, plus aggravated harassment, menacing, arson, and criminal tampering, according to ABC7 NY.
People online aren’t holding back. Most are calling this a blatant act of racial hostility. At the same time, some are stepping back to look at the bigger picture, asking how social media, political symbols, and public behavior all clash and mix in cities today.
Internet Reacts After MAGA Hat-Wearing Man Is Charged in New York Hate Crime Case
The clip quickly drew outrage, with many viewers condemning what they saw. “Is this how to Make America Great Again?” one person wrote. Another added, “Is MAGA trying to turn into the KKK or the man was always member of the KKK?”
Some commenters focused on the language used in the exchange. “‘you a slave to my blackness’ she kinda ate with that no shade,” one user said. Others were more disturbed by the broader pattern. “They will do anything for clout these days..” a comment read.
Several responses centered on how harmful the behavior felt. “This is disturbing as hell God bless this beautiful black woman people make content off of being racist towards us now well they’ve always done that,” one person wrote. Another added, “Harassing black people for clout! What happened to the so called ‘black fatigue’!!”
A few called for consequences. “This is so disgusting. I just don’t understand why people are crazy like this. You should be put in prison for a while,” one comment read.
Humans have spent years trying to leave old hatred and division behind, but moments like this make it feel like some are still stuck in the past. It doesn’t matter where someone comes from or what they believe; everyone deserves dignity, respect, and to feel safe. If we want real progress, we have to stop making the same mistakes we already know are wrong.
