Hijab-wearing Muslim beaten 'like an animal' in US

She said, the man only wanted one thing from her: he wanted her to remove her hijab

Returning home after prayers, a Muslim woman was attacked in the wee hours of the morning on Monday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, FOX6 reported.

Speaking to the broadcaster on conditions of anonymity, the woman said a car pulled up beside her while she was walking home and a man exited the vehicle, asking her to come closer to him.



The man only wanted one thing from her: he ordered her to remove her hijab. "I tried to fight him. 'Don't take my hijab,' you know? So he threw me on the floor then he beat me like an animal," the woman said while describing the incident.

Successfully removing her scarf, the attacker threw her on the sidewall and repeatedly stomped on her head. Then he took out a knife to cut her jacket and arm, the victim added. All the while, he kept hurling abuses at her.

After the attack, she somehow managed to reach home where she got a seizure and was taken straight to hospital. She was released a day later.



The Islamic community of Milwaukee considers the attack a hate crime. Munjed Ahmad, an attorney and a member of the Islamic community, spoke to FOX6 about the community’s fears, adding that they were considering increasing security measures. "Certainly we're scared for our community members. As an Islamic community, we want to make sure our community is always safe. The initial reaction is shock," he said.

"Nothing was stolen. There was no robbery. Her valuables remain with her. The only motive we can think of -- because everything stayed with her and this individual went straight for her scarf is a hate crime," Ahmad added.

The local police told the news channel that the incident was under investigation but there is no suspect in custody at present.