A black woman in California said a group of nearly 40 protesters who support Trump attacked her and called her the n-word after a rally in downtown Los Angeles.
Police said they were investigating the incident as a hate crime after talking to the woman.
“The woman was identified and questioned by the LAPD. Based on her statements and other evidence, a report of hate crime / batteries was taken,” the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement. statement on Twitter.
The woman, Berlinda, 25, said she was walking when she saw the large group Wednesday, according to NBC Los Angeles, which noted that she had asked that her surname not be used. Earlier in the day, protests were held with many protesters wearing the “Stop the steal” signs.
Berlinda said several people in the group told her to take off her face mask. She told NBC Los Angeles that the crowd started following her after she sent them away.
“A bunch of women and men started yelling, ‘Take off your mask, don’t wear a mask,'” she said, telling the exhaust valve that she had asked one man in the group to leave her alone. ‘And that was when the guy went and took his hand, clawed at my face. And then just hit my phone in the face. ‘
Berlinda said others bumped into her and that she was being called a racial call.
The assault was captured by photographer Raquel Natalicchio, 29. She told NBC News in an interview on Friday that she saw Berlinda walking alone and heard the protesters push her out and ask if she was voting for President Donald Trump. It is unclear whether all those shown on Natalicchio’s photos were involved in the alleged assault.
Berlinda told them no and knocked her away while she kept walking, Natalicchio said.
“They repeatedly beat her for it, and she said they had to put on a mask,” Natalicchio said, noting that many people who attended the protest did not have a face mask. “As soon as she told them to put on a mask, they swarmed her and circled her, squeezing her around and trying to intimidate her.”
Natalicchio said one woman snatched up Berlinda’s hair extensions and started assaulting her. Berlinda tried to defend herself and several men started hitting her with metal flagpoles, according to Natalicchio. The woman was apparently also peppered in the eyes.
One man came forward to help. He was caught in an image grabbing Berlinda from behind to pull her to safety.
“That man, I call him my hero,” Berlinda told NBC Los Angeles. “That man picked me up, whispered in my ear and said, ‘Keep going. You’re OK. I have you, I have your phone. You’re OK, I’m going to get you out of here. These people are trying to kill you. ‘
Berlinda did not want to be questioned when she was contacted by NBC News on Friday, citing security issues.
The LAPD said it was investigating the incident and asked that anyone who witnessed what happened or had information should come forward.
The rally in Los Angeles was held the same day when a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building, temporarily halting the official count of Electoral College lawmakers’ votes for President-elect Joe Biden’s victory to confirm.
Five people died during the chaos, including a woman who was fatally shot by police and a Capitol police officer who died from injuries he sustained.
