Central Florida woman arrested for hate crimes after pepper spraying Asian women in New York


The NYPD charged a Central Florida woman with committing hate crimes after she pepper-sprayed four Asian women in New York City on June 11.

Madeline Barker, 47, of Merritt Island was captured on video using pepper spray on the women. Victims and witnesses told police that Barker used anti-Asian epithets on the group of young women, who were all under the age of 25.  According to the police, the victims refused medical attention at the scene.

"Go back to your country," Barker allegedly said to the women.

After being identified by eyewitnesses she was arrested in the Big Apple, with bail set at $20,000, according to the New York Post. The Manhattan judge on the case deemed Barker a "flight risk," over fears that she would head back home rather than face the case.


Barker is charged with two counts of attempted assault as a hate crime, two counts of assault as a hate crime and four counts of harassment as a hate crime.



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