Woman, 82, accused of hate crime assault of 2 at WA political rally
EDMONDS, Wash. - An 82-year-old Edmonds woman was taken into custody and charged with a hate crime following her assault against two women participating in a political rally on Monday afternoon, police said.
According to Edmonds police, the incident occurred near the intersection of 100th Avenue West and Edmonds Way. The woman confronted the victims about their race and political views at a rally in support of a conservative candidate.
The encounter escalated when the suspect approached and yelled at the supporters before committing the assault, police said. The suspect was later booked into the Snohomish County Jail.
The incident was reported to the police just prior to 1 p.m., when officers witnessed the suspect in an altercation with rallygoers. The suspect expressed disbelief at the political affiliation of the victims given their ethnicity and was markedly agitated. She was observed attempting to push an officer while reenacting her earlier actions.
A 55-year-old victim, also from Edmonds, described how the suspect had aggressively gotten into her personal space, made derogatory comments about her appearance and ethnicity, and then pushed and punched her in the chin. When a 66-year-old woman intervened, she too was struck by the suspect, police said.
Officers on the scene spoke to numerous eyewitnesses but noted that neither victim sustained serious injuries nor required medical aid.
The police established that the suspect's actions warranted a hate crime charge under RCW 9A.36.080 due to the nature of the incident. Despite the arrest, police said the suspect showed no remorse and seemed likely to repeat such behavior.
"The constitution protects peaceful rallies in our community, and community members should never be met with violence while exercising those rights. Our officers properly determined that this was more than just an assault and arrested the suspect for the appropriate charge," said Edmonds Police Chief Michelle Bennett.
The identity of the suspect has not been released at this time. The Edmonds Police Department continues to investigate.
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