New York man charged over spate of attacks on women

A man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting random women in New York City in a string of incidents described by police as hate crimes.

Daquan Armstead, 31, is accused of striking women in the face, back and head during attacks in March and April.

The seven women all reported they were attacked by an unknown individual.

The attacks involve women ranging in age from their early 20s to 40s who all reported similar encounters with the man.

There have been more than 90 unprovoked assaults on people in Manhattan, including 50 on women, so far this year, according to police figures cited by NBC News.

Mr Armstead faces charges of hate crime/assault, attempted hate crime/assault and aggravated harassment, a New York Police Department spokesperson said.

The attacks involve women ranging in age from their early 20s to 40s who all reported similar encounters with the man.

All of the alleged attacks occurred in the neighbourhoods of Greenwich Village, the Lower East Side, Tribeca and the Bowery, police say.

It comes amid a spate of unprovoked attacks against women that have been documented in a series of viral videos on social media.

"I literally just got punched by some man on the sidewalk," one victim recalled in a viral video.

"He goes 'sorry' and then punches me in the head."

It is unclear whether Mr Armstead is accused of being behind any of the attacks that drew attention on social media.

According to New York media, he is the third person to be arrested so far in connection to the attacks.

Police have asked that any other victims come forward to share details of their attacks.