Woman facing assault charge for alleged attack on Melrose City Councilor’s husband

MELROSE, Mass. — A Massachusetts woman who allegedly verbally accosted Melrose City Councilor Maya Jamaleddine and then allegedly assaulted her husband last year was arraigned on assault charges Friday morning.

In December 2022, prosecutors say Jamaleddine was sitting in her car with her two children when, Joan Ditomaso, reportedly rolled down her window and angrily yelled at Jamaleddine, “What are you looking at, you terrorist Arab? Go back to your [expletive] country!”

Jamaleddine’s husband, who had been putting air in their tires, overheard the remark and asked Ditomaso why she would say such a thing, according to prosecutors.

He filmed Ditomaso’s license plate. The video shows Ditomaso following him back to the family’s car, where the frightened children waited and then allegedly shoving him so she couldn’t film their license plate.

CAIR-MA called for a hate crime investigation into the incident after it happened.

Despite the apparent anti-Muslim motivation for the attack, Ditomaso is not expected to be charged with a civil rights violation.

Jamaleddine is the first Muslim to be elected to public office in Melrose.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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