Florida woman who pepper sprayed Asian women in NYC while telling her to ‘go home’ appears in court

The Florida woman caught on video spraying four Asian women in New York City with pepper spray appeared in court Thursday on charges of hate crimes.

Madeline Barker, 47, went to court in Manhattan in connection with the June 2022 attack, where she also shouted “go back where you came from.”

DailyMail.com captured Barker smiling in photos taken during a status hearing while wearing bright lipstick along with an orange sweater and floral pattern top.

During the shocking interaction that was filmed by a bystander, the woman was caught shouting slurs including “you don’t belong here” at a group of Asian women.

Following her arrest, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called the incident “deeply painful” for those involved and said “people of all backgrounds deserve to feel safe.”

In court on Thursday, Barker smiled as she sat next to her attorney as proceedings took place in a Manhattan Supreme Court chamber for a status update.

She has been charged with eight counts of third-degree sexual assault as a hate crime and four counts of aggravated second-degree harassment.

A Manhattan District Attorney’s Office official said she will appear in court on July 24 for another hearing.

Barker’s attire on Thursday matched her outfit during the June 2022 attack.

The woman was seen on video and photos wearing a bright pink and orange pashmina. She also wore Jackie O. sunglasses and large gold earrings.

The incident took place in a plaza in the Meatpacking District, and video of the interaction quickly went viral.

Users online originally referred to Barker as “Karen” before she was identified.

The four women experienced burning and pain in their eyes after the 47-year-old sprayed them because they were standing near where she was sitting.

In court on Thursday, Barker smiled as she sat next to her attorney as the proceedings took place in a Manhattan Supreme Court chamber. Pictured: Barker on Thursday

Barker (pictured) has been charged with eight counts of third-degree sexual assault as a hate crime and four counts of second-degree aggravated harassment

Barker, was caught on camera hurling racial slurs at the victims, such as ‘Go back where you came from’ and you don’t belong here’, during the June 11, 2022 altercation

Although the victims tried to run away, Barker gave chase and sprayed them with pepper spray in the face, footage shows. One victim said she was ‘unable to open’ [her] eyes’ after the attack

The victims, who wished to remain anonymous, told the story ABC 7 at the time they were minding their own business when Barker launched her attack.

The women – all in their 20s – said they were viewing a flower installation when the woman suddenly started getting into an argument after she accused them of harassing her.

“It was so painful,” said one victim. “I couldn’t open my eyes for about 30 minutes.”

“She pointed to an Asian bystander who was a man, we didn’t know who he was, pointed to him and said, ‘Take your ass back to your country,'” said another.

Video shows the victims trying to run away from the argument.

Without giving up, Barker follows the group, still yelling at them, before firing the pepper spray at the young women.

Then she leaves the area.

Barker in the Manhattan Supreme Court in July 2022

Hate crimes are on the rise in the Big Apple and across the country, with the NYPD reporting 607 hate crimes in 2022.

The crimes resulted in 320 arrests in the city’s 123 counties.

In March, DailyMail.com shared a gruesome video of an anti-Asian attack in Flushing, Queens, in which a trio jumped out of a car and attacked a couple.

Three unidentified people were caught on video jumping out of a white SUV and approaching the couple. Police said the group also yelled “ugly Asian” at them.