Two shoppers, aged 30 and 26, were allegedly attacked at Pacific Epping on High Street in Epping between 1.10 and 1.20pm on February 13.

A 31-year-old woman was arrested today and charged with intentionally and recklessly causing injury, unlawful assault and aggravated assault.

Police allege the victims were targeted because they were wearing head coverings.

The charged woman will appear before Heidelberg Magistrates Court today.

There is an ongoing investigation into reported online threats made against one of the victims.

“There is absolutely no place in our society for discriminatory, racist, or hate-based behaviour and such activity will not be tolerated,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

Both women, one of whom is pregnant, were hospitalised following the assaults.

One of the victims, a mother-of-two, said she was grocery shopping when she was slapped and shoved to the ground by the alleged offender.

She suffered bruising across her body and said she is now too scared to leave her home.

“This lady, like out of nowhere, just came and like it was a punch, smack, something like that, right across my left side,” she told 9News.

“I’m an Australian citizen, I was born here. Getting attacked in your own country is a bit wild.”

About 10 minutes earlier, the second woman had her hijab grabbed in an alleged attack as she sat at a cafe inside the shopping centre.

“She said [the attacker] came from behind and choked her with her hijab and wouldn’t let go,” the woman told 9News.