Woman Charged With Hate Crime After Throwing Coffee At Praying Muslims

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Prosecutors have charged a San Francisco Bay Area woman with a hate crime after she was caught on video making anti-Islamic slurs and then throwing coffee and an umbrella at a group of Muslim men who had been praying at a park.

KNTV reports Thursday that the Alameda County District Attorney has charged Denise Slader, an employee with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with misdemeanor battery and violating a man's civil rights, a hate crime.

Slader was not immediately available for comment on Thursday. But earlier she told the station she was surrounded by eight Muslims and hit one of the men, because it was "instinctual."

"Their religion is dangerous, very dangerous, this `Muslim thing,' she told the station.

A park ranger tried to diffuse the situation. The CDRC is also investigating.