82-Year-Old Woman Charged with Hate Crime in Washington State for Confronting Hispanic Trump Supporters
( Image: Edmonds Police Department)
In Washington state, an 82-year-old woman faces hate crime charges after allegedly confronting two Hispanic women for supporting former President Donald Trump. Edmonds Police Department officers apprehended the elderly woman on Monday, with the incident reportedly captured on bodycam footage.
In the video, the suspect can be heard explaining her motivation for approaching the woman. “I approached her, and I said, ‘I want to know why you’re voting for Trump,’” she told officers. “And I said, ‘Because you’re brown-skinned.’”
One of the women confronted, Gina Powell, a Trump supporter, recounted the incident, describing how the woman approached her and Mary Jennings during a Trump rally in Edmonds, not far from Seattle. According to Powell, the elderly woman directed questions about her race and political views at her, citing her skin color as the reason for the inquiry.
“I was just shocked at the presence of mind, and she made it very clear it was my skin color,” Powell said. The suspect reportedly continued, “I hate the racism in this country, I hate how people are treated. And so I’m wondering, why would somebody with brown skin support this man? And that was my question.”
Powell told the officer that the suspect called her a “racist” in response to being questioned. According to the suspect, she responded by pushing Powell away, placing her hand on her chin and shoulder. “It wasn’t hard,” the woman admitted, adding, “But I did do that.”
In the bodycam footage, Powell described her reaction, saying, “I said, ‘Why? Because of my skin color?’ And then I said, ‘You’re a racist.’” Powell claimed the woman responded by pushing her and striking her chin. While Powell stated she was not injured, she emphasized, “We have freedom of speech, you can say whatever you want. But you can’t touch me.”
The police asked Powell if she wanted to press charges, to which she replied affirmatively, expressing concern about the physical confrontation. Jennings, the other Trump supporter, confirmed the encounter, telling officers the push was “pretty forceful.”
During questioning, the elderly woman expressed her desire to speak with people of color who support Trump, asserting, “I am definitely not a racist.” However, when she added that she wanted to warn people with “brown skin” about Trump’s policies, an officer noted, “That’s kind of racist if you’re targeting certain individuals.” The suspect denied any specific targeting.
Following her arrest, the woman was booked into Snohomish County Jail on suspicion of a hate crime and assault. At a probable cause hearing on Tuesday, she was released on personal recognizance, according to a Snohomish County prosecutor’s office spokesperson.
Reflecting on the incident, Powell shared with Seattle’s ABC affiliate KOMO, “I’m still in shock.” She added, “She made it very clear it was my skin color,” underscoring her dismay over the experience.
