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Woman, 82, arrested on suspicion of hate crimes against Trump supporters

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An 82-year-old woman was arrested Monday on suspicion of hate crimes and assault following an incident at a political rally, police said.

In Edmonds, Washington, about 20 miles north of Seattle, police were called to the site where a group of people were gathering for “a conservative political figure” the day before the election, a news release said Wednesday.

The suspect, whose name police did not publicly release, spoke to two women at the scene about their political views, police said. A police report obtained by USA TODAY shows the suspect was an 82-year-old white woman.

Two Edmonds women, ages 55 and 66, told police the suspect kicked them in the face, commented on one of the women's clothing and skin color and punched her in the face. The police report indicates the women were black and biracial. When the other woman tried to intervene, she was also struck, the release said.

“When officers contacted the suspect, she stated she could not understand why people of color would support this particular candidate,” the police news release said. “The suspect was very animated and even attempted to push an officer while demonstrating her behavior.”

The suspect was booked into a local jail after police found probable cause of a hate crime, police said. Jail records indicate she is no longer in custody, and ABC reported that the suspect had not been charged as of Thursday.

Violence related to the 2024 election: 18-year-old arrested after police say he raised a machete at an early voting site in Florida

The 2024 election season was marked by violence

In the days and weeks before Donald Trump was declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election, threats of election-related violence emerged across the country.

A recent study found that nearly one in three Republicans who view Trump favorably believe political violence is acceptable, compared to one in four Republicans overall and one in six Americans. Experts had warned that this could be a dangerous election, USA TODAY previously reported. This was the first presidential election after Trump's refusal to accept his defeat in the 2020 election sowed distrust in the electoral system and fueled the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Trump has survived two assassination attempts this year. In July, he was shot in the ear by a gunman stationed on a rooftop near a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. In September, the Secret Service opened fire on a suspect after seeing a gun barrel in the bushes at the edge of Trump's golf course, where Trump was golfing.

Election workers and officials have also been threatened this season. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced legal action in four cases in early October.

  • A Philadelphia man has been accused of threatening to “skin” a party official.
  • An Alabama man was accused of threatening to execute election officials in Arizona;
  • An Arizona man has been charged in a shooting at a Democratic campaign office;
  • And a California man has been charged with bombing a courthouse.

On October 28, ballot boxes were set on fire in Washington and Oregon.

In two separate incidents in Florida, an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, both apparent Trump supporters, were arrested after altercations with Harris-supporting women over the age of 65.

On Election Day, bomb threats apparently coming from Russian territory targeted polling stations in several states.

Featuring: Erin Mansfield, Bart Jansen, James Powel, John Bacon, Aysha Bagchi

Kinsey Crowley is a featured news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley.

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