PORTLAND, Ore. — A 23-year-old Oregon woman was charged with hate crimes after she allegedly tried to choke a Muslim student with her headscarf and then harassed her by stripping down at a MAX station in Portland.
Jasmine Renee Campbell has been indicted on hate crime, attempted strangulation, harassment and criminal mischief charges following an attack that occurred in November.
According to court documents, Campbell allegedly grabbed the hijab worn by a Portland State University student to try to choke the student with it. Prosecutors said she then then stripped down and rubbed the student’s hijab over her naked breasts and genitals while disparaging Muslims.
A warrant was issued after she failed to appear in court on Friday.
In court documents obtained by The Oregonian Campbell is listed as both homeless or living at an address in the Portland metro area. Campbell told KPTV that she was not trying to hurt anyone. She also said in the phone call to the TV station that she had been drinking too much and that she suffers from a mental health condition, which contributed to her missing her Friday court appearance.
Authorities say the 24-year-old victim, who is also a Portland State University foreign exchange student from Saudi Arabia, was wearing a Muslim religious head cover known as a hijab.
Posted by KATU News on Friday, January 3, 2020
Authorities said the two women didn’t know each other.
The 24-year-old Muslim woman, who is a foreign exchange student from Saudi Arabia, said she now wears a hat to cover her head because she doesn’t feel safe wearing a hijab in public.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
