MILWAUKEE — Two women have been charged with a hate crime after prosecutors say they attacked a group of women in Hijabs in Cathedral Square Park in Milwaukee.
Payton Smith, 30, was charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery (hate crime) and one count of disorderly conduct (hate crime).
Miracle Reed, 34, was charged with one felony count of substantial battery - substantial bodily harm with intent (hate crime), one count of disorderly conduct (hate crime), and one count bail jumping.
A Milwaukee County deputy responded to a report of a fight in Cathedral Square, 520 E. Wells Street, around 6:20 p.m. on Sunday, July 30.
According to a criminal complaint, once on scene, a witness pointed to two women with nearly 10 children walking away stating, "They went that way... the ladies with the kids." Another group of citizens walking past also pointed stating, "That's them."
The women were later identified as Smith and Reed. Smith began yelling at the group of citizens, stating, "Don't worry [explicit]. Up front!" The two women were held until more officers arrived to investigate.
The complaint says one of the victims reported she got to Cathedral Square Park around 4:30 p.m. and "everyone was minding their own business and having a good time."
When another victim arrived at the park, she mentioned she was "getting dirty looks from some women in the park." The victims were wearing Hijabs, a head covering worn in public by Muslim women.
Thirty minutes prior to the assault, one of the women had walked around the park with her prayer mat to find a good spot to pray. Later, one of the suspects, believed to be Smith, allegedly said, "We're black aggressive women, and we're going to defend our own kind."
The victims and their families went back to "minding their own business" and chatting among themselves in Arabic at a picnic table. The complaint says then Smith approached the table and sat down, stating, "So what's the problem."
One of the victims responded, "Excuse me. Since when is there a problem between us?" Smith again stated, "So what's the problem." A victim replied, "I don't think there was ever a problem between us." Smith then asked, "Where are you from?" The victim replied, "It's not any of your business." The complaint said Smith then looked at Reed who was standing behind the victim and said, "You ready?"
That's when Smith allegedly grabbed one of the victims by her neck in "a form of a headlock and started punching" her. At the same time, Reed began punching another victim in the back of the head. Reed dragged the victim away, and the Hijabs were removed from both of the victims' heads. According to the complaint, the victim believed the Hijabs were intentionally pulled off because they do not easily fall off.
One of the victims tried to get away and defend herself, but the attack continued from both Reed and Smith.
The complaint says when the altercation ended, both Reed and Smith and their 10 children "calmly" walked away and law enforcement arrived on the scene.
During an interview with authorities, Reed allegedly admitted to drinking at the park but denied attacking the victims. Reed said she has postpartum depression and may have "spazzed out." She claims she "blacks out" and does not remember things. In a second interview, Reed admitted she was in a video that captured the attack but denied hitting the victims.
When Smith was interviewed by authorities, she admitted to hitting the two victims twice and admitted she was also in the video.
Both Reed and Smith made their initial appearance in court on Thursday.
Janan Najeeb, the executive director of Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition, says though this incident is shocking, hate crimes against Muslim women are not unusual.
"This is very commonplace and we get lots of calls from women," Najeeb said. "At the end of the day it's bringing attention to a more widespread problem."
TMJ4's Mariam Mackar spoke to the victims' attorney, Munjed Ahmad, who says bringing attention to hate crimes is the reason his clients are calling for justice.
"This isn't really necessarily about these two assailants, this is a bigger picture issue," Ahmad said. "It's important to call hate what it is."
Ahmad says his clients hope to prevent others from experiencing the trauma they did.
"They're more concerned with ensuring that something like this doesn't happen to someone else in the future."
Najeeb and her coalition are working toward the same thing while also reminding others: "That diversity should be a beauty and something to celebrate and learn from."
Both the victims and Ahmad say the District Attorney's choice to file hate charges reinforces the ideal that "hate of any kind has no place in Milwaukee County."
Statement from Mayor Cavalier Johnson:
“Last week’s unprovoked attack in Cathedral Square Park on two Milwaukee women who were wearing hajibs is both horrific and unacceptable. I stand with all of Milwaukee decrying the hateful acts.
“While any violence is intolerable, it is especially egregious when victims are targeted because of their appearance or their religious beliefs.
“The Milwaukee District Attorney has leveled charges against the alleged attackers including hate crime enhancers. If the two women charged are found guilty, they deserve the harshest appropriate consequences.
“My thoughts are with the victims and their families.”
Reed was previously charged with a misdemeanor offense of criminal damage to property in 2021. She was released from custody with the condition she commit no new crimes. Her conditions of bond were in effect at the time of this offense.
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