New York, a woman named Jennifer Guilbeault, aged 23, has been charged with a hate crime after an incident involving an Uber driver named Sohail Mahmud. The event happened in Manhattan this August.
Mahmud was driving when he started saying a prayer in Arabic. Suddenly, Guilbeault, who was sitting in the back with another woman, pepper sprayed Mahmud in the eyes. This was all caught on camera.
The other passenger tried to pull Jennifer back, but she kept spraying. After the attack, Mahmud called the police, leading to Jennifer’s arrest.
In August of this year, a woman named Jennifer Guilbeault from New York was charged with a hate crime.
She pepper sprayed an Uber driver named Sohail Mahmud while he was praying in Arabic. #Alitoday #HateCrime #Muslim pic.twitter.com/2MlPwyqDMD
— Alitoday (@alitodaay) October 31, 2024The state Supreme Court charged the convict with a hate crime. “One count each of Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, Assault in the Third Degree as a Hate Crime and Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree,” read the order.
“As alleged, Jennifer Guilbeault senselessly assaulted a Muslim Uber driver while he was just doing his job,” Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, said.
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“The victim is a hardworking New Yorker who should not have to face this type of hate because of his identity. Everyone is welcome to live and work in Manhattan, and our Hate Crimes Unit will continue to address bias-motivated attacks by thoroughly investigating and prosecuting cases, conducting community outreach, and supporting victims,” he added.
Condemning Jennifer’s act, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) publicly expressed support for the charges. “We welcome the hate crime charges and thank law enforcement authorities for sending a clear message that those who allegedly carry out bias-motivated attacks will face the consequences,” said the Cair-NY executive director, Afaf Nasher.
