A New Jersey woman allegedly told two Muslim teenagers to go back to their country and slugged one in the head during a bias-fueled attack, prosecutors said Thursday.
Nancy Jones, 59, of Clifton, was arrested on a slew of charges for allegedly harassing the teens in a nail salon on April 30, According to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Both girls were wearing hijabs at the time, prosecutors said.
During the confrontation, Jones also struck the 13-year-old in the head, according to authorities.
After Jones was identified, a warrant was issued for her arrest and she turned herself in to Clifton police on Wednesday.
The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the alleged attack and provided more details surrounding it.
According to a press release from CAIR-NJ, the woman shouted at the two girls for staring at her while they waited to get their nails done. She allegedly shouted profanities at them, CAIR-NJ stated, and told them, “to go back to their (expletive) country you two little punks,” and that “they do not belong here.”
When the girls’ mother came to the salon and saw them crying, she confronted Jones in the parking lot and was cursed out by her, according to CAIR-NJ.
Other customers backed up what the two teenagers claimed in the immediate aftermath, CAIR-NJ said.
“We are deeply troubled by this alleged bias-motivated behavior. Physically and verbally attacking two young girls to the point of tears is appalling,” CAIR Executive Director Selaedin Maksut said in a statement. “We welcome the ongoing police investigation by Clifton officers and hope the matter is taken seriously and justice is done.”
Jones is facing several charges including fourth-degree bias intimidation, two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and simple assault, which is a disorderly person offense.
Jones was released on conditions, authorities said. A spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office said she didn’t know what plea Jones entered and could not provide more details beyond the press release issued by the office.
The charges have been referred to a grand jury.
The prosecutor’s office asked anyone with more information on the case to contact its office at 1-877-370-PCPO or email tips@passaiccountynj.org.