New York woman who pepper-sprayed Muslim Uber driver charged with hate crime | new York

A New York woman who pepper-sprayed a Muslim Uber driver as he prayed has been charged with a hate crime by the Manhattan district attorney.

Jennifer Guilbeault, 23, is seen in surveillance video repeatedly spraying her Uber driver, Shohel Mahmud, with pepper spray. The attack occurred in August on Manhattan's Upper East Side, near the corner of East 65th Street and Lexington Avenue, shortly after Mahmud began saying a prayer in Arabic.

Guilbeault's fellow passenger, an unnamed woman, is seen trying to stop her from continuing the attack.

The driver called 911 and Guilbeault was arrested.

Guilbeault was formally charged in an indictment in state Supreme Court with “one count each of second-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree assault as a hate crime and second-degree aggravated harassment.”

“As alleged, Jennifer Guilbeault senselessly attacked a Muslim Uber driver while he was doing his job,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “The victim is a hard-working New Yorker who should not face this type of hate because of who he is. Everyone is welcome to live and work in Manhattan, and our Hate Crimes Unit will continue to combat bias-based attacks by thoroughly investigating and prosecuting cases, providing community outreach and supporting victims.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (Cair) publicly expressed support for the allegations.

“We welcome the hate crime charges in this case and thank law enforcement for sending a clear message that those who perpetrate alleged biased attacks will face the consequences,” said Afaf Nasher, executive director of Cair-NY.

Guilbeault's former employer, public relations and marketing firm D Pagan Communications, wrote on X that it was aware of her actions and “does not condone this behavior.”