Florida woman Madeline Barker has been charged with a hate crime for making racist remarks against Asians.
A 47-year-old woman named Madeline Barker sprayed four women in New York City on July 11th.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Madeleine Barker has been charged with a hate crime in Manhattan for making racist remarks.
The New York City Police Department reported that Madeleine Barker had a heated argument with four Asian women.
The incident is said to have occurred at the intersection of 14th and 9th Streets in Chelsea around 6pm.
When an argument between the two escalated, the police reported it to the scene. During that time, Barker allegedly attacked women with pepper spray.
Madeleine Barker, 47, a woman charged with anti-Asian remarks and pepper spray at four people in New York City over the weekend, has been arrested and charged with hate crimes, police said on Friday.
There were 2 assaults, 2 attempted hate crimes, and 4 hate crimes. pic.twitter.com/gjU6QP0VSw
— Deniride (@Edirined) June 20, 2022
But before New York police arrived, Barker fled the scene. They found her because of her viral clips and images of her that were circulating on her social media.
Nevertheless, Barker was charged in court on Saturday, July 18. She was officially charged with two counts of assault for a hate crime, two counts of attempted assault on a hate crime and four counts of hate crime.
Following her charges, Barker is currently in custody on Rikers Island on $20,000 bail.
Why did Madeleine Barker attack women?
Four victims claimed they were visiting a public square when Barker approached them. He is said to have started pouring out anti-Asian remarks without provocation.
According to FBI statistics, hate crimes against Asians increased from 158 in 2019 to 279 in 2020. This has spurred the bipartisan anti-Asian hate crime bill to reach $5 billion.
During the same period, hate crimes against black people increased from 1927 to 2871.
Where are our laws? https://t.co/hw4SOJ9Yt2
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) May 23, 2022
Barker started racist ridicule and said, ‘Go back to where you came from, go back to your country’.
According to one of the victims, Barker allegedly said, ‘Take all your cubs back to where they were’.
The shocking fact that this woman is one year younger than me made me seriously consider Madeline Barker to be in her 60s. She seems to be making you old for being a racist hateful person.
— Laurie Estes (@WinterPNW1) June 18, 2022
Response to anti-Asian hate crimes
Local activists and civic leaders have reportedly been using Madeline Barker’s case to curb anti-Asian hate crimes.
Brian Chin of the Coalition for Conservation and Improvement of Communities said a plan to curb xenophobic violence must be formalized.
He ‘welcomes all charges against Madeline Barker, but I think more action is needed’.
Chin also added, ‘We need to send a strong and clear message to people to start feeling safe again and to make tourists want to return to our city.’
“If you randomly and maliciously attack on the basis of skin color, eye shape, or foreign language, you will be subject to strict punishment under the law,” he added.
DOJ Response: The Department of Justice will develop a cross-agency plan to combat anti-Asian violence that includes data on national hate crime statistics and new training to state and local law enforcement agencies for accurate reporting of hate crimes.
— Michael Grossman (@MichaelArt123) April 4, 2021
Maddi
I am an avid reader and gluttony observer. A passion for reading and research made me a writer.