Woman Charged With Hate Crime in Attack on Muslim Women Pushing Strollers

BATH BEACH, NY — A 32-year-old Brooklyn woman is facing hate crime charges after police say she attacked two Muslim women in Bath Beach while they were pushing strollers.

Emirjeta Xhelili, from the 2000 block of Cropsey Avenue, approached two women wearing niqab, ages 23 and 24, on Thursday while they were pushing their infant children in strollers, police said.

Xhelili tried to rip off the women's veils while shouting, "You f--king bitch, this is America, take that off," according to the NYPD. Court documents show Xhelili is accused of smacking the women in their faces and bodies, knocking over one stroller with an infant in it and rattling another.

Both the women and children were not seriously hurt, police said.

Police said Xhelili was charged with assault as a hate crime, reckless endangerment involving a child and criminal tampering. The woman was being held on $50,000 bond or $25,000 cash bail Monday. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 14 in Kings County Criminal Court.

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