According to NY 1 News, Yogi Patell [pictured], a third year law student of South Asian origin, claims he was subjected to subway bag searches several times on just one day, even though "The Police Department says its subway bag searches are random."

In Patell's own words, “It's hard for me to say it's anything else other than profiling.... obviously I can't prove it. I can't sit here and say I noticed them doing it to every South Asian as they walked by, but it's this feeling, this eerie feeling.” Patell hasn't used the subway since he was stopped three times in one day.

When asked for comment, the NYPD "insist[ed] the searches are random and that people are selected by a numerical formula."

The American Civil Liberties Union issued this appeal, urging New Yorkers to report instances in which they may have been discriminatorily selected for the subway bag searches.