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New York woman charged with pepper-spraying Muslim Uber driver as he prayed

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New York woman charged with pepper-spraying Muslim Uber driver as he prayed

A New York woman accused of pepper-spraying her Muslim Uber driver while he prayed at a red light has been charged with assault as a hate crime, prosecutors said Thursday. Jennifer Guilbeault, 23, is

A New York woman accused of pepper-spraying her Muslim Uber driver while he prayed at a red light has been charged with assault as a hate crime, prosecutors said Thursday.

Jennifer Guilbeault, 23, is accused of the “anti-Muslim” attack on July 31, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said Monday.

She was in the back seat of an Uber with another person at 12:15 a.m. when she lunged toward the driver, 45, with a can of pepper spray and sprayed him in the face after he began praying in Arabic at a red light, officials alleged.

The spray caused “burning, redness and pain,” the DA said in a release. A few minutes later, the driver called 911, and Guilbeault was arrested at the scene.

Guilbeault has been charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with second-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree assault as a hate crime and second-degree aggravated harassment.

She pleaded not guilty at her arraignment Monday and was released with non-monetary conditions, according to court records. She is due back in court on Jan. 13.

“As alleged, Jennifer Guilbeault senselessly assaulted a Muslim Uber driver while he was just doing his job,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. “The victim is a hardworking New Yorker who should not have to face this type of hate because of his identity.”

He said the office's hate crime unit will continue to address bias-motivated attacks and support victims.

Michael J. Alber, an attorney for Guilbeault, rejected the hate crime designation. "Ms. Guilbeault was not motivated by race, religion, national origin, or any other discriminatory factor," he said in a statement.

“A full and fair review of the evidence is going to show a crime was not committed in this matter, and that a rush to judgment is not appropriate, and is hurtful to all those involved,” he added.

Since the Hamas-Israel war began, there has been a rise in antisemitic and anti-Arab and anti-Muslim incidents reported in the U.S.

The Council on American Islamic Relations said in a report in April that it received the highest number of bias reports in its 30-year history last year. The complaints ranged from verbal discrimination in the classroom or workplace to incidents of physical violence reported to police.

Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.