Trans woman Nikki Armstrong was violently assaulted in Renton, Washington in the US earlier this month.

She told PinkNews that the attack, which occurred on 15 September at around 8:20pm in the 200 block of Burnett Ave S, followed an argument between her and a group of teens who she said were harassing “everybody waiting on their bus.”

She says that she simply asked them, “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

According to Renton Police, later that evening, after walking back through the area to the bus station, Armstrong was then confronted by the teens.

She said she attempted to pepper spray them, but they called her the F-slur and began to chase her. She recalls tripping after about a block, at which point the attack began.

She told PinkNews she felt “scared and angry” at first, but those feelings have since “turned to sadness.”

“It bums me out that kids have nothing better to do with their lives,” she said of the suspects.

Two teenage brothers, aged 15 and 17, have been released on electronic home monitoring on charges of second-degree assault after being accused of attacking Armstrong. Renton Police say they are still searching for two other teens who are believed to have been involved.

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Armstrong launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $20,000 to help cover costs while she is unable to work and to pay for surgery to repair her nose and possibly her eye socket. She has received 97 percent of her goal, thanks to more than 360 donations.

She said the donations have relieved her from the stress of rent and allowed her to focus on recovering.

“That anxiety has been lifted and I can’t begin to put into words what that means to me. I can focus on my recovery and I’m ever so grateful.”

Armstrong said she didn’t expect “at all” to raise the amount she has. She added: “I was hoping for some help but the way everyone has stepped up is incredible.”

But the attack has highlighted the concerning rise in anti-trans hate, spurred by the US administration’s orders. Sadly, Armstrong admits she no longer feels safe in the US. 

She explained: “I want to be clear about this: it’s not because I’m worried about being randomly attacked by teenagers. It is because of the presidential Administration that we have and their policies that I feel less safe now as a trans person than I ever have. 

“Trump has all but greenlit this type of violence and sadly I expect we will see more.”

In June, GLAAD’s third ALERT Desk Report – its Anti-LGBTQ Extremism Reporting Tracker, which documents anti-LGBTQ incidents and trends in hate and extremism across the US – revealed a “dramatic rise” in anti-trans hate incidents.

Between 1 May 2024 and 1 May 2025, the ALERT Desk tracked 932 anti-LGBTQ incidents in 49 US states and the District of Columbia – the equivalent of 2.5 incidents every day. Fifty-two percent of all incidents specifically targeted transgender and gender non-conforming people.

Armstrong said, in a message to her attackers and others who target the trans community: “Find something better to do with your time. We are here. We’re not going anywhere. We will fight back. We protect us.”