A white woman in her 60s, who threatened to drive a van over a Korean woman, was charged on June 28.
Maine prosecutors filed a complaint against Vicki Lush, 66, for violating the civil rights of a 40-year-old Korean woman in Kennebunkport, Massachusetts.
According to the complaint, during an argument outside a seafood restaurant, Lush yelled at the Korean woman to “go back to your country” and threatened to hit her with her vehicle while swerving the van towards her. Lush also told the Korean woman, “You wouldn’t say this to a white person,” and threatened to “put you on the ground.”
Prosecutors stated that the civil rights enforcement action is a civil filing under the Maine Civil Rights Act, which prohibits violence, threats of violence, and property damage against any person motivated by their race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation.
Consequently, the state will request a judge to issue an injunction prohibiting Lush from having any contact with the victim, from violating the Maine Civil Rights Act in the future, and impose fines of up to $5,000 for each violation.
“Maine should be a safe, welcoming place for everyone,” said Attorney General Aaron Frey. “The Maine Civil Rights Act recognizes that bias-based incidents like this one cause not only extreme harm to the victim but also to others in the community who might fear similar unlawful treatment.”
Meanwhile, according to the Kennebunkport Police Department, there have been only three local hate crimes in the past 12 years.
BY YEJIN KIM [support@koreadaily.com]
