'Free hugs' guy in Times Sq. slugs woman who won't tip him

A man offering "free hugs" in New York's Time Square slugged a Canadian woman in the face after she refused to tip him, police said.

According to CBS New York, ABC7 and PIX 11, NYPD officers said Jermaine Himmelstein jumped into a photo that the woman, an Ottawa resident, was having taken with her friends and embraced her. Himmelstein, who carries a sign saying "free hugs," then repeatedly demanded that she give him a $5 gratuity.

After she refused for the third time, Himmelstein punched her in the face, police said.

The 22-year-old woman, who was not identified, was treated at a nearby hospital. She suffered a black eye, facial cuts and bruising and swelling, according to police.

As Himmelstein was taken into custody, he told a PIX 11 reporter, "I was aggressively asking for tips."

Himmelstein, 24, was charged with attempted robbery and fraudulent accosting. Police said he has autism and has several prior arrests on various counts, including assault.