A young Black woman who was pepper-sprayed in a Washington, D.C. park was arrested by U.S. Park Police — while the man accused of assaulting her, wearing a red MAGA hat, walked away without consequence.
The disturbing incident, partly caught on video and shared widely online, has sparked outrage and reignited questions about racial bias, political favoritism, and unequal treatment of victims under law enforcement.
Witnesses say the woman — who had already been identified by police as the victim of assault — was detained moments after expressing anger toward her attacker, a man who had allegedly illegally carried and discharged pepper spray on federal park grounds.
“The police stated she was the victim. They had her fill out a victim report. They got the video,” one bystander said in a recorded statement. “She was unarmed, on the ground, retreating when he sprayed her. But when she got upset and confronted him later, they arrested her.”
The suspect, described as a white male wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, was reportedly allowed to leave the scene, even though pepper spray is banned on National Park property under federal regulations.
The Assault and Aftermath
According to witnesses, the woman was attacked after a verbal exchange with the man escalated. When he allegedly deployed pepper spray directly into her face, she fell to the ground and was temporarily blinded. Officers on scene helped her flush out her eyes and documented the incident, confirming her status as the victim.
Moments later, however, when she saw her assailant still nearby and confronted him — visibly emotional and shouting, “You maced me on purpose, and God will deal with you!” — Park Police handcuffed and arrested her for disorderly conduct.
The irony wasn’t lost on those watching: the victim became the only person taken into custody.
“If you assault someone — as long as it’s a Black woman on the ground — you’re good,” the witness said in the video. “As long as you’re wearing a MAGA hat, the Park Police got your back.”
Legal Questions Over Federal Park Rules
Federal law explicitly prohibits possession and use of chemical agents, including pepper spray, within national park boundaries. The National Park Service classifies such items as “prohibited weapons,” subject to fines and possible arrest.
Yet, according to bystanders, Park Police appeared to defend the man’s possession of the spray and even suggested it was legal — a statement that contradicts written policy.
This discrepancy has prompted calls for an internal review of the officers’ actions and their understanding of federal park regulations.
A Pattern of Policing Disparities
Civil rights advocates say the case exemplifies a longstanding double standard in policing — one that criminalizes emotional reactions from Black victims while excusing aggressive behavior from their white counterparts.
Legal scholars note that emotional distress after a violent assault is a normal human response, not a criminal act. Arresting a victim for showing outrage, they argue, reverses the logic of justice.
“This is where policing intersects with power and perception,” said a criminal justice analyst familiar with similar cases. “When law enforcement prioritizes calm compliance over context, trauma is punished instead of treated.”
Public Outcry and Demands for Accountability
The footage has fueled online outrage, with many questioning how a federal law enforcement body could so clearly mishandle an assault investigation in plain view.
Community activists have demanded the immediate release of all incident reports and body camera footage, as well as a review by the Department of the Interior’s Inspector General, which oversees Park Police operations.
The young woman, who has not been publicly named, reportedly spent hours in custody before being released. The man who attacked her has yet to face any known charges.
As the case gains national attention, one message from the scene continues to echo online:
“They arrested the victim. And that tells you everything you need to know.”
