EDMONDS — An 82-year-old Edmonds woman was arrested for investigation of a hate crime and assault after disrupting a rally for President-elect Donald Trump the day before the election, police said.
Around 1 p.m. Monday, Edmonds police responded a report of an assault at the corner of 100th Avenue W and Edmonds Way.
Officers arrived to find multiple community members rallying for Trump, who is now projected to be the 47th president of the United States.
The woman reportedly told police she could not understand why people of color would support this particular candidate.
She was very animated and even tried to push an officer while demonstrating how she’d acted, according to an Edmonds Police Department press release.
Officers interviewed a 55-year-old woman, described by police as multi-racial, who said the suspect had “gotten into her face” as she rallied for Trump.
“The suspect commented on the victim’s attire and skin color before the suspect pushed the victim and punched her in the chin,” the release said. Edmonds police Cmdr. Josh McClure said Wednesday many people at the rally wore T-shirts and waved flags in support of Trump.
A 66-year-old Edmonds woman, intervened and stepped between the suspect and the first victim. The suspect responded by punching her as well, police said. Officers also interviewed multiple witnesses. Neither victim required medical treatment.
“The constitution protects peaceful rallies in our community, and community members should never be met with violence while exercising those rights,” said police Chief Michelle Bennett. “Our officers properly determined that this was more than just an assault and arrested the suspect for the appropriate charge.”
The woman was released from jail late Tuesday.
Michael Henneke: 425-339-3431; michael.henneke@heraldnet.com; X: @ihenpecked.
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