When running up to a person with autism from behind you can't identify them as autistic.
Also, the article never identifies what form of autism he has. He could come across as "normal" as anyone.
My stepson is autistic but you would never know by looking but that still doesn't give anyone the "go ahead" to pop him in the face without cause. It sounds to me like you're giving the criminal thug an excuse or an "out" for his nasty disposition.
Unfortunately, when my stepson's "friends" found out about his disability they would dare him to do things that he never would have done on his own. They would also get him drunk then tell him he was only tough if he could keep quiet while they put their cigarettes out on his arm. When I found out about it I confronted the main punk one on one, grabbed him by the neck, and gave him an ultimatum: stop messing with my stepson or I would kick the living crap out of him. I don't know if he stopped messin' with him but I never saw burn marks on his arm anymore.