An East Palo Alto man was arrested Sunday at the Palo Alto Transit Center after allegedly attacking two men and yelling derogatory things about Mexicans.

Palo Alto police were called to the Transit Center on University Avenue at about 2:15pm to investigate a report of two men fighting.

One of the victims, a Latino man, told them the suspect, 63-year-old Charles Murphy, was yelling derogatory things about people from Mexico.

When the victim asked Murphy to go away or stop yelling, Murphy allegedly punched him in the face, according to police.

At one point the victim pulled out a pocket knife but dropped it and briefly exchanged blows with Murphy before they both fell to the ground and Murphy ran away, police said.

Shortly after that, Murphy allegedly punched a cigarette from another man's hand after he asked for a cigarette but was refused.

Officers cited and released Murphy on suspicion of two misdemeanor counts of battery and one misdemeanor hate crime, police said.

People can report hate crimes in Palo Alto by calling police at (650) 329-2413 or 911 if it is an emergency.