HELL’S KITCHEN, Manhattan – Men allegedly used racial slurs and beat a construction worker on Saturday after he asked the men to leave a Hell’s Kitchen construction site, officials said.
Veton Balidemaj and Klevis Vulaj walked into a construction site near 11th Avenue and West 49th Street around 3:30 a.m., court documents show. A construction worker asked the men to leave the site.
“We’re out here partying and you’re out here working like a n—-r,” the men allegedly said. “What are you going to do about it, n—-r?”
Vulaj allegedly tackled the construction worker to the ground and punched him repeatedly, court documents show. Balidemaj allegedly kicked the victim several times.
The construction worker suffered a fractured orbital bone and several lacerations to his head.
Balidemaj and Vulaj were arrested and charged with assault as a hate crime.
They were arraigned Saturday in Manhattan Criminal Court Bail for Balidemaj was set at $3,500 in cash or a $7,000 bond. The bail for Vulaj was set at $1,500 in cash or a $3,000 bond.
