Whoopi Goldberg suggests woman deserved to be slapped

Whoopi Goldberg. Photo / Getty Images

Whoopi Goldberg has said that a woman who was slapped by a man during a New York subway brawl should have expected it.

Danay Howard was filmed taunting Jorge Pena, before she eventually strikes him round the head with a high-heeled shoe. He retaliates by slapping her round the face.

Another passenger jumps in on the fight, which descended into a rowdy fight. The film, recorded on a phone and called 'Man smacks the soul out of girl on the NY Subway', was shared on YouTube and quickly went viral. Since being posted last weekend, it has been watched by over 5 million viewers.

However, Goldberg has suggested that Howard deserved to be slapped. Talking on US show The View with co-host Rosie Perez and guest host singer Ashanti, she said that women should not automatically assume that if they are violent towards a man that the man in question will not reciprocate.

"Keep your tweets to yourself because I'm about to p**s you off," said the comedian and actress.

"If you slap anybody - but particularly women - if you slap, put your hands on somebody, you cannot be guaranteed that he's not going to slap the crap out of you.

"I know a lot of people feel that a man should never hit a woman, but this is why you have to get checked. These girls were sitting on that train messing with him."

Goldberg that if you don't know a person's background and "how he was raised", then "you take your stuff in your hands" when you initiate violence.

"This is thing y'all, you think you're cute, you think that stuff looks good on YouTube and stuff, but here's the thing, not everyone's gonna take this crap from you," she continued.

"They're not gonna put up with it anymore and next time you out your hands on someone you better think twice because you don't know who you're touching."

Pena was charged with misdemeanor assault and disorderly conduct, while Howard was charged with felony assault for using a shoe as a weapon in the assault.

In May, Goldberg said that Jay-Z had "the right" to hit Solange Knowles back during their high-profile fight in a lift, following the Met Ball.

- Independent