Man jailed in attack at Salem Middle Eastern restaurant

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Police arrested an Oregon man accused of attacking a restaurant employee with a pipe while calling the worker a terrorist and telling him to go back to his country.

Court documents say Jason Kendall told an arresting officer he entered the Middle Eastern restaurant in Salem last week after seeing a woman who he thought was being held as a slave because of the style of blouse she was wearing.

The affidavit says Kendall was asked to leave, but he returned minutes later yelling, “Get out of America!” He is accused of throwing a plastic object at the employee and hitting him with a pipe.

The affidavit says the arresting officer felt a small bump on the worker’s head.

Police say Kendall told them he acted in self-defense.

He is expected to be arraigned Friday on charges of assault and intimidation.

His court-appointed attorney, Julia Ann Hyde, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.