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Rabat — A 43-year old Muslim woman was violently attacked by two women because she was wearing a hijab in Gardanne, a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhone region in southern France.
The assault took place on November 25, according to France 3, and was reportedly fueled by Islamophobia, with physical violence and racist insults.
The attackers reportedly followed the Muslim woman, describing her as “veiled” and saying that she is “taking advantage of social benefits while we’re starving.”
“We should get rid of her like the Palestinians,” the attackers said.
When the woman intervened, saying “ you have no right to talk to me like that,” the two attackers ran and caught her.
“They pinned me to the ground and beat me. They ripped off my hijab and hair while calling me a ‘dirty race’.”
They also used death threats against her. “We must finish her off,” the perpetrators said.
A friend of the victim took her to the emergency room, where she received treatment. Medical staff identified a wrist hematoma, fractured ribs, abrasions on her legs, and facial bruising.
“Two days after the attack, the trauma remains raw,” the news outlet reported, adding that the victim also suffered from psychological challenges.
“I want to stay home, but I have four children. I’m angry and keep thinking I should have defended myself,” she said.
The victim filed a police report, while her relatives are seeking witnesses to the attack.
The new heinous Islamophobic attack against the Hijabi woman is not the first of its kind.
In many cities across France, Muslim communities have been overwhelmed by different racist and Islamophobic attacks, including offensive comments on social media, and acts of vandalism or sabotage targeting mosques, cemeteries, and Muslim-run businesses.
Read Also: ‘France for the French’: New Islamophobic Act Against Mosque Sparks Frustration
France has been receiving backlash for some of itsof its policies, including discriminatory measures that bar women and girls who choose to wear the hijab from participating in sports.
France also does not permit the wearing of Islamic headscarves in schools
