FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE?

Contact: Danna Hayes?

[email protected]

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Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Announces Civil Rights Complaint Filing

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Florida Woman Accused of Threatening to Run Over Asian-American?

Woman Visiting Kennebunkport ?

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AUGUSTA ?Attorney General Aaron Frey announced today that he has filed a civil rights enforcement action against Vicki Lush, age 66, of Port St. Lucie, Florida, for threats against an Asian-American woman on June 6, 2023, in Kennebunkport. ?The Attorney General?s complaint seeks an order protecting the victim, by prohibiting Lush from having any contact with her and from violating the Maine Civil Rights Act in the future.

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?Maine should be a safe, welcoming place for everyone,? said Attorney General Aaron Frey. ?The Maine Civil Rights Act recognizes that bias-based incidences like this one cause not only extreme harm to the victim but also to others in the community who might fear similar, unlawful, treatment. That is why my office will continue to pursue civil injunctions to protect communities targeted for their identities.??

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According to the complaint, on the afternoon of June 6, 2023, Lush got into a dispute with the woman while the woman was sampling chowder at a retail seafood establishment. ?Lush referred to the woman as a ?foreigner,? telling her to go back to ?your country.? ? The woman, who was visiting Maine from her home in Massachusetts, responded that ?you wouldn?t say this to a white person.? ?Lush responded by calling her a ?Chinese [expletive].? ?In the parking lot, Lush threatened to hit the woman with her van and swerved her van in the direction of the woman. ?Lush admitted that she told the woman, ?you have no idea who you are messing with,? ?I?ll lay you out right here,? ?get out of my way or I?ll run you over,? and ?you foreigners need to go home.? ?

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The Maine Civil Rights Act prohibits the use of violence, the threat of violence, or property damage against any person motivated by that person?s race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation. ?Any violation of an injunctive order under the act is a Class D crime, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. ?

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The Attorney General?s Office would like to thank the Kennebunkport Police Department for the investigation of this case and its prompt referral to the Attorney General for enforcement under the Maine Civil Rights Act.

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