An 82-year-old woman in Edmonds, Washington, is facing a hate crime charge following an altercation with two Hispanic women supporting former President Donald Trump. The incident, which took place at a street corner gathering of Trump supporters a day before the general election, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing political and cultural tensions dividing the country.
According to the Edmonds Police Department, the elderly woman approached a group of Trump supporters, including Gina Powell and her friend Mary Jennings, questioning Powell's political beliefs with racially charged language. Bodycam footage revealed the woman, who was wearing a Harris-Walz pin, confronting Powell by asking, "I want to know why you're voting for Trump... because you're brown-skinned."
Powell recounted that the encounter escalated quickly after the initial confrontation. "She got in my face and made it very clear it was about my skin color," Powell told reporters. While the two friends were engaged in a conversation about reproductive rights with another passerby, the elderly woman allegedly shoved Powell and then struck her in the chin when asked to stop. "That's when she shoved me... and not even a second later, she just popped me right in my chin," Powell said.
Mary Jennings, who intervened to de-escalate the situation, said she confronted the woman about the physical contact. "I told her she had no right to touch anyone," Jennings stated, adding that she was also struck in the jaw during the exchange. Neither Powell nor Jennings required medical attention but both reported emotional distress. "I haven't been able to work yet. I'm still kind of in shock," Powell shared.
Edmonds Police Chief Michelle Bennett emphasized that the encounter went beyond a simple assault. "Our officers properly determined that this was more than just an assault," Bennett said. "Community members peacefully showing political support should not be subject to hateful violence." The suspect, who was booked into the Snohomish County Jail and later released on personal recognizance, reportedly justified her actions by attempting to demonstrate her version of events to officers, even pushing one officer in the process.
The suspect, who has not been named, allegedly expressed frustration with people of color supporting Trump but denied being a racist. "I did do that," she admitted when asked about her actions but insisted her push was not intended to be forceful. Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen echoed Bennett's sentiments, stating, "Community members exercising their rights should never be met with violence. I'm thankful there were no serious injuries."
The incident has sparked broader conversations about political divisions in the U.S. Powell and Jennings stressed the importance of bridging divides. "Not everybody on the left is correct, not everyone on the right is correct, but we need to come together," Jennings said. Powell, determined to continue advocating for her beliefs, added, "I got a little jab in my chin, so I'm not sitting down," referencing her resilience.
