Summary

A 31-year-old Australian woman has been charged with assaulting two Muslim women at a Melbourne shopping center on February 13, allegedly targeting them for wearing head coverings.

One victim, a pregnant woman, was choked using her hijab, while another was pushed and slapped.

The attack follows Australia’s recent enactment of strict hate crime laws.

Authorities are also investigating online threats against one of the victims. Muslim leaders have criticized the government’s response as inadequate.