The subway cellist who was attacked out of the blue when a woman threw a metal water bottle at his head last month has announced a new advocacy group for subway performers in a video he posted to X.
Iain. S. Forrest, 29, was sitting on a stool passionately playing the instrument in the 34th Street-Herald Square station Feb. 13 when the assailant approached him out of nowhere, according to cops.
A 23-year-old with eight prior arrests was busted in the shocking attack — and was promptly cut loose Thursday despite pleas that she be held on bail.
Amira Hunter was nabbed Wednesday night, 15 days after she allegedly bashed Forrest, 29, in the head.
At her arraignment Thursday on second-degree assault charges, Manhattan prosecutors argued for $15,000 cash bail or $45,000 bond, noting that Hunter has failed to appear at three of her five court dates in other criminal cases last year.
Judge Marva Brown, who opted Thursday to release the alleged attacker was only recently elected to her judicial role after nearly two decades as a public defender.
Forrest, an MD-PhD student at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, first thanked the NYPD, saying he was “relieved and thankful” that the suspect had been caught.
“Instead of getting mired in the complexities of bail reform, I want to focus on everyone staying safe and moving forward positively with music,” Forrest said.
“Together we can work toward creating safer environments for performers and addressing the underlying incidents that contribute to these incidents,” he added.
He included a link where people can sign up to help SPAG’s efforts.
Forrest has pointed out that he was just one of many subway performers who have been “attacked, harassed or robbed” while trying to entertain their fellow commuters.
He’s one of hundreds of volunteers for the MTA’s Music Under New York program, which schedules musicians to hold performances at transit hubs across the city.
The senseless assault was filmed by fans recording Forrest’s performance, with the musician seen clutching his head and instrument as he writhed in pain.