Iain Forrest, a subway cellist in New York City, announced he will be ceasing his performances in stations following a recent assault, wherein he was struck in the head with a metal bottle.
What happened: In the now-viral video of the incident, uploaded to X on Feb. 14, Forrest, 29, can be seen sitting on a stool while passionately playing his cello when a woman randomly approaches him from behind in the 34th Street-Herald Square station at around 5:45 p.m. The assailant, dressed in a mustard jacket and red scarf, picks up Forrest’s own metal water bottle off the ground and strikes him in the head before casually walking away from the scene. The recording ends as Forrest clutches the back of his head in pain.
“This marks the second attack I’ve endured in less than a year while performing for New Yorkers in subway stations,” Forrest wrote. “I don’t think I can do this anymore. I’m suspending subway performances indefinitely.”
According to the busker, the suspect fled the station, removed her outer clothing and escaped into a nearby Macy’s, where the New York Police Department (NYPD) were unable to locate her.
About Forrest: Forrest is reportedly a medical PhD student at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. He is one of the volunteers for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Music Under New York program, which organizes musicians to conduct performances at various transportation centers throughout the city. The recent attack on the 29-year-old has led to his decision to quit performing in New York City subway stations.
“It hurt like hell,” Forrest said in his latest social media post. “Right now, I’m just focused on getting better. I’ve been thinking a lot about whether I can go back to subway performances. Two attacks in less than a year is too much. I have been punched, choked and now bashed in the head. I love performing for you all, but I’m at my breaking point and can’t take more injury.”
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