A woman will face court after allegedly assaulting two women in what police say is an Islamophobic attack in Melbourne’s north last week.
Police arrested the 31-year-old from Pascoe Vale on Wednesday morning, after the incident at the Pacific Epping shopping centre on Thursday, February 13.
Police allege two women were targeted because they were wearing head coverings.
The woman was to face court in Melbourne, but it was adjourned pending further information.
When the case is heard, likely to be Thursday, police will allege the victims were targeted due to wearing head coverings.
The woman was charged with intentionally and recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault and aggravated assault.
The incident has drawn condemnation from all sides of politics in Victoria, with the advocacy group Action Against Islamophobia also criticising police for its perceived mishandling of the investigation.
Police say they are also continuing to investigate a report of online threats being made against one of the alleged victims.
That woman, Ealaf Al-Esawie, told The Age on Wednesday morning she was threatened after detailing her experience on social media.
“One of them was like, he started swearing at me saying things like, ‘You’re working for the government’, ‘You’re a scammer’, ‘You’re a liar’, ‘I was in Epping Plaza [shopping centre] today and it was completely fine’,” she said.