Madeline Barker faces hate crime charges for making anti-Asian statements in New York
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@deniride/twitter
A Florida native woman Madeline Barker has been charged with hate crimes after she allegedly made Asian racist comments.
A 47-year-old woman named Madeline Barker pepper sprayed four women on 11th July in New York City.
Here is everything you need to know.
Madeline Barker was charged with hate crime for making racist remarks in Manhattan
As per the reports by the New York City Police department, Madeline Barker was locked in a heated argument with four Asian women.
The incident reportedly took place at the intersection of 14th Street and Ninth Avenue in Chelsea around 6 pm.
The cops reported at the scene when their verbal altercation escalated. During that time, Barker allegedly attacked the women with pepper spray.
A woman, Madeline Barker, 47, who allegedly made anti-Asian remarks & pepper-sprayed 4 people in New York City last weekend was arrested & charged with hate crimes, police said Friday.
— Deniride (@Edirined) June 20, 2022
2 counts of assault, 2 attempted as a hate crime, and 4 counts of harassment as a hate crime. pic.twitter.com/gjU6QP0VSw
However, before the New York Police arrived Barker had fled from the scene. They found her due to the viral clips and images of her that were circulating on social media.
Regardless, Barker was arraigned in court on 18th July Saturday. She was formally charged with two counts of assault as a hate crime, two counts of attempted assault as a hate crime, and four counts of harassment as a hate crime.
Following her arraignment, Barker is presently being held at Rikers Island on $20,000 bail.
Why did Madeline Barker attack the women?
The four victims claimed that they were visiting a public plaza when Barker approached them. They said that without any provocation she started hurling anti-Asian comments at them.
According to FBI statistics, hate crimes against Asians rose from 158 in 2019 to 279 in 2020. That spurred a $5 billion bipartisan anti-Asian hate crime law.
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) May 23, 2022
During the same period hate crimes against Black people rose from 1927 2871.
Where is our law? https://t.co/hw4SOJ9Yt2
Barker reportedly launched into a racist tirade and said, ‘Go back to where you came from, go back to your country.’
According to one of the victims, Barker also supposedly said, ‘Take your b****es back to where you all came from.’
To think that this women is a year younger than me is shocking, I seriously thought Madeline Barker was in her 60’s. Looks like being a racist hateful person ages you.
— Lori Estes (@WinterPNW1) June 18, 2022
Response to Anti-Asian hate crimes
Reportedly local activists and civic leaders are using Madeline Barker’s example to curb anti-Asian hate crimes.
Brian Chin of Alliance for Community Preservation and Betterment, said that initiatives need to be formulated to deter xenophobic violence.
He mentioned, ‘Any and all charges against Madeline Barker are welcomed, but in my opinion more needs to be done.’
Chin further added, ‘In order for people to start feeling safe again and for tourists to want to come back to our city, a strong and clear message must be sent.’
He continued, ‘If you randomly and maliciously attack someone because of the color of their skin, the shape of their eyes, or because they are speaking a foreign language, the full extent of the law will crack down upon you.’
DOJ responds: The Justice Department will establish a cross-agency initiative to respond to anti-Asian violence that will include data about national hate crimes statistics, as well as new training for state and local law enforcement agencies for accurate reporting of hate crime.
— Michael Grossman (@MichaelArt123) April 4, 2021
