A 37-year-old Brooklyn man was indicted for allegedly hitting a 12-year-old boy with a belt in a disturbing homophobic attack on a playground in the Lower East Side earlier this year, prosecutors announced on Aug. 6. Prosecutors say the boy did not respond and instead opted to hum and sing to himself, prompting Maxwell to call the minor “stupid” and voice an anti-gay remark. At that point, Maxwell allegedly went to a building nearby and returned with a belt. “Hate crimes undermine the values of dignity, safety and inclusion that define our city,” Bragg said in a written statement. “As alleged, Kevin Maxwell violently attacked an innocent and vulnerable child — a stranger — while directing hateful language at him.