Woman punched, confrontation on NYC subway over apparent 'manspreading' complaint

BENSONHURST, Brooklyn (WABC) -- A Brooklyn woman said she was punched in the face while riding the subway to work in Manhattan Thursday, and a following confrontation between riders was captured on video.

Samantha Saia said the ordeal started as soon as she took a seat next to a man on an N train in Bensonhurst during the morning commute.

"He started pushing me and manspreading me into the wall," Saia said.

That's when Saia said he turned violent.

"He told me expletive, you expletive, I've raped white b****** like you before. You're nothing and then he elbowed me," she said.

So she said she put her earbuds back in and then it turned even uglier.

"He said 'Don't ignore me. I felt this.' I turned around and bam, I banged my head into a wall. And at that point I just felt blood gushing."

Her lip was bruised, swollen and bloodied.

But it could have been worse if a good Samaritan didn't step in, and that's when a passenger on the train started recording.

The good Samaritan jumped in and confronted the subway attacker. He forced the man to exit the train at the next stop.

Now, Saia said she wants police to arrest her attacker.