NEW YORK — Police say they have arrested and charged a man who they accuse of assaulting a woman on her way to a rally against anti-Asian violence Sunday.

The NYPD says 27-year-old Erick Deoliveira has been charged with assault as a hate crime and criminal mischief as a hate crime.

Investigators say a 37-year-old woman was near Astor Place and Fourth Avenue in Manhattan shortly after 11:30 a.m. Sunday morning when the suspect approached her and asked to look at the sign she was carrying.

Police say the suspect tried to throw the sign in a garbage can, and then stomped on it. Afterwards, he allegedly punched the woman twice in the face.

The suspect then ran into the Astor Place subway station, according to police.

Speaking on "Mornings on 1" Tuesday, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said incidents like this have become a disturbing trend.

"It's really sickening when you see when you read these cases one after another and you see what people are being subjected to and it's really important that we all come together and denounce it," Shea said.

Earlier Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said New Yorkers need to help each other amid the ongoing rise in hate crimes-related incidents across the city.

"This goes against everything we believe in this city, everything we feel as Americans. It is unacceptable, and we all need to fight it back in every way,” de Blasio said. “It sickens me and angers me and we will deal with it aggressively. I want everyone in every way you can to help support our Asian-American neighbors, speak up for them, help report anything you see."