World

Muslim schoolgirl in New York called 'ISIS', put into headlock and punched

Three boys attacked the 6th grader and attempted to pull off her headscarf

Web Desk December 08, 2015

PHOTO: ELLINGTONCMS.COM

A Muslim schoolgirl was attacked in her New York middle school by three other students who referred to her as 'ISIS' and tried ripping her headscarf off.

The sixth-grade student, whose identity has been withheld, was reportedly playing during recess when three boys allegedly attacked her, Inside Edition has learned.

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A source on the condition of anonymity said the boys put her in a headlock and punched her as they tried to pull her headscarf off. While beating the girl, they also referred to her as 'ISIS' a name often used for the terrorist organisation, Islamic State.

The attack on the young Muslim girl comes just under a month after IS claimed responsibility for a coordinated attacks in Paris in which at least 128 people were killed.

Facebook blocks account of woman named 'Isis'

The incident was reported as a bias incident when 911 was called; however, an official report was never filed. The boys, also in sixth grade, were expected to appear at a disciplinary hearing for their alleged actions. However, the hearing was postponed in order to allow the boys’ families to hire legal representation, the school source said.

Despite the incident making rounds on social media, the school principal declined to comment.

PHOTO: INSIDE EDITION

"Unfortunately, young Muslims have been experiencing this for quite some time,” spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations Corey Saylor said.

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"Since August of last year… we’ve seen a cycle of Islamophobia that’s had a much more violent tinge to it than we’ve seen in many, many years," said Saylor, who also serves as CAIR’s director of the department to monitor and combat Islamophobia.

“I would’ve argued that it was calming down, until Paris followed by San Bernardino,” Saylor added.

The mass shooting in California saw at least 14 people killed and 17 injured when a Muslim couple opened fire at a holiday party in San Bernardino on December 5. Ever since, Muslim-American communities are living in fear of backlash.

An attendee at a prayer vigil at the largest mosque in San Bernardino held in response to the massacre said, "One of the girls told me, ‘I’m scared to wear my hijab anymore in public.’ That should not be the case. That should not be the case in the United States of America."

California shooting suspect was devout Muslim: father

Meanwhile, many took to Twitter after New York Police Department failed to file an official report on the incident:

6th grade Muslim girl called ISIS, put in headlock, and punched as boys try to rip off hijab https://t.co/fCydaWj9DX pic.twitter.com/V6NbLLD9m5
— sas (@saserief) December 8, 2015

This is horrifying. Hate breeds hate. Teach your children to love and accept. https://t.co/jAbz8lrJdc
— Tara Jeffrey (@TaraJeffrey) December 8, 2015

https://twitter.com/Zorro_Aus/status/674061633585483776

NYPD decides its fine to call 12 yr old Muslim girl ISIS and attempt to rip off her hijab while assaulting her. https://t.co/eYnmiMS880
— @rowast.com on bsky (@rowast) December 8, 2015

https://twitter.com/phpress/status/674030790666096640

https://twitter.com/CraigCo62/status/674022340355866625

More real-world consequences of the politicians who are legitimizing nativist rhetoric. https://t.co/oU3fPVyh8R
— Froward Jason Would Like Elixir Work (@JasnTru) December 7, 2015

This article originally appeared on Inside Edition.

COMMENTS (16)

Boy | 8 years ago | Reply @SHKT: Boy! You said it well. Why don't we see your comments more often?

globalobserver | 8 years ago | Reply @gs: "True. But the Europeans in foreign land i.e. America do not dress up like the native Americans do they? Nor did they dress up like Indians while in India." I am afraid you miss the point. Where does "native Americans" come here? Anyways, they are a tiny population mostly living in small reservations. As for Europeans in India, are they immigrating to India in hundreds of thousands every year and demanding that India accommodate their way of life and culture?

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Lepeep | 8 years ago | Reply Why not hold the mothers and fathers of the bullying boys accountable? They should be teaching their sons not to be violent. You're almost dismissing the boys actions as ordinary, normal and expected. @Ashraf P:

Hilary | 8 years ago | Reply @indian All the indians I know lie and smell funny. A deeply dishonest people, many of whom refuse to even try to behave like americans. When are Indians living in the west going to behave like Westerners, rather than nationalistic, uneducated, village people?

SHKT | 8 years ago | Reply @AllFormerorCurrentIndiansWhoHaveProblemsWithMuslims/Pakistan I come here to this site everyday and I find so much hateful comments by people having seemingly Indian and/or Hindu names. The fact of the matter is that the US of A prides itself in freedom of religion, expression and other liberties. By that standard, Muslims, or anyone, should not be harassed for what they personally have not done, and not be persecuted for sharing the same beliefs as some other mischievous people. Hitler believed in science, should we stop doing science too? Did that 6 year old girl do the Paris or San Bernardino attacks? By that logic, we should start persecuting Hindus everywhere for the Babri Masjid and Gujrat riots, or whatever is happening in Kashmir and Bihar and UP etc. What you fail to realise is that your comments are only fuelling the fire, so if you have nothing constructing to add, please don't say anything...

ajeet | 8 years ago | Reply @roadkashehzada: Indians are not doing anything in Arabia that is similar to what Muslims are doing in Europe and America.

gs | 8 years ago | Reply @GKA: True. But the Europeans in foreign land i.e. America do not dress up like the native Americans do they? Nor did they dress up like Indians while in India.

wiserneighbour | 8 years ago | Reply @Shamelesspakistani, Do you consider Arabs as civilised world?Pity on you!

Skywalker | 8 years ago | Reply @roadkashehzada: Flawed argument. The premise is of causing trouble and still demanding special accommodations. Are Indians causing ruckus in Arab world and demanding justice as victims?

ShamelessPakistanis | 8 years ago | Reply @Komal S: Seriously? Blaming 100% on mullahs? You are not living in West so plz don't generalize on behalf of everyone. Google "media deception"

roadkashehzada | 8 years ago | Reply @indian: with this logic, conforming to arab ethics, indians in should wear arab dress in middleast. wht happened to much celebrated diversity and equality?

Komal S | 8 years ago | Reply These issues are bound to happen. Of course they should be publicized to create awareness. Average muslim needs to ponder the following: 1) People wearing Hijab and Burqua's have exponentially increased over last couple of decades 2) Compared to school going kids about 30 years ago to now in a place like India, you see more people with Hijab and Burqua at Schools and Colleges 3) Also you see more muslim men and women wear their Islamic identity on the street compared to 30 years ago 4) This contrasts with an average Hindu, Christian , Sikh or others who have become less conservative in the last 30 years in the public space 5) Fact is these mullah teachings have had an impact on an average muslim in the last 30 years. These mullahs have also played a role in the extremist ideology. 6) These data points do create perception issues on muslims and Islam

GKA | 8 years ago | Reply If you choose to be in a foreign land and then dress and act different, then sometimes some nutcase will come after you.

Ashraf P | 8 years ago | Reply If mothers think risking their children's well-being is better than ditching the head scarf, they need to get a life!!

Narendra | 8 years ago | Reply US has become so intolerant. I thought India is the only intolerant country.

indian | 8 years ago | Reply this was going to happen eventually why are muslims not conforming to western ethics while living in west

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