World

Australian woman stands up for Muslim couple verbally assaulted on Sydney train

'Got nothing nice to say? don't say anything,' 23-year-old tells bully

Web Desk April 16, 2015

An Australian woman stood up for a Muslim couple who was verbally attacked based on their religion on a train in Sydney.

A passenger began hurling horrible and hurtful insults at a middle-aged man and his wife, when Stacy Eden, 23, decided to step in and defend them.

A screen grab of the couple

The woman who attacked the couple said things such as “if I was in their country I would be stoned to death for wearing a dress,” according to Eden.

Eden said she missed her stop and stayed on the train to ensure the safety of the couple, who in turn was very grateful to her.

PHOTO COURTESY: STACY EDEN

The Islamophobia Register Australia group issued a statement praising Eden’s actions shortly after the incident was reported on Daily Mail Australia. The group reported that such incidents were fairly common.

A screengrab shows the woman who was bullying the couple

Eden shared a video of the entire incident online, in which she can be heard saying: "She wears it (her hijab) for herself, OK! She wears it because she wants to be modest with her body, not because of people like you who are going to sit there and disrespect her."

"No, you shut your mouth. You've got nothing nice to say, don't say anything, simple," she went on to argue.

The article originally appeared on Daily Mail.

COMMENTS (9)

Lolita Guillermo Lolita Guillermo | 9 years ago | Reply I am not surprised with PirG's comment..Indians as he said were a confused country which is so true. It is one of the poorest country with all crimes present and yet with proud people who does nothing to improve themselves but seek protection to whoever can defend and support their needs. Iin every post regarding Muslim faith they are always there, cursing Muslims. Stacy is simply showing how she wants to be respected herself. If only everyone thinks the same way she does, there world would be in peace.

Sana | 9 years ago | Reply @PirG: I completely disagree with your comment about how Islam spread in the subcontinent, and your suggestion to the Muslim couple to give up on their beliefs in a foreign land. Every person has the fundamental right to freely practice their religion, especially in a country like Australia that claims to be secular and purports to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion. Your comment on the beard and the hijab is also very ignorant and hateful. It's comments like these that promote religious divide, instead of promoting religious harmony. Here in the US, for example, Jewish skullcaps, Christian crosses and the hijab are all permitted as forms of religious expression, and guaranteed protection under the constitution, just as it should be. Even orthodox Jews and Christian nuns wear a headcovering of some sort. So why are you trying to single out a Muslim woman for her headdress. Just as a woman is free to wear a mini-skirt in Australia, so should she be allowed to cover herself up if she so wills. Why are you so intent on promoting one form of freedom while repressing the other? I commend Stacy for her brave stance, and I hope you learn religious tolerance from her good example. Please keep your bigotry to yourself and educate yourself before commenting on a religion with a billion followers worldwide.

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Sana | 9 years ago | Reply @PirG: I completely disagree with your interpretation of how Islam spread in the subcontinent and also your suggestion to the Muslim couple to give up on their beliefs in a foreign land. Every person has a right to freely practice their religious beliefs, especially in a country like Australia that claims to be secular and purports to treat all its citizens equally regardless of religion. Your comment about the burqa and the beard is also completely ignorant and uncalled for. Please keep your bigotry to yourself and educate yourself before commenting on a religion followed by a billion people worldwide.

PirG | 9 years ago | Reply we in the greater indian subcontinent are muslims because the ummayad arabs invaded this part of land and it made so much socio-economic sense to convert or otherwise face prosecution from the newly brought religious beliefs and thier never ending local interpretations (imagine how it would have been in the 7-8th century), We are a confused nation and i try to give this much to my people. However when we try to look 'religious' is when the problem starts and when we start behaving like holier than tho is when we ask for trouble. These two sitting in the train look like they have been just cut out of a scene in karachi. If you are in rome try to act like romans otherwise have this much courage not to go there. P.S your belief is not in burqa and beared and men are not the guardians of women virginity. grow up.

Spyrogyra | 9 years ago | Reply Kudos, Stacy. Many so called Muslims also have a lot to learn from you so they can start respecting other religions, sects and beliefs. I am saying "so called" because a true Muslim has these traits.

Mohammed | 9 years ago | Reply Thank you for defending the muslims; Stacey

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply All Pakistanis need to see this. How many of us would stick up for minorities or foreigners in Pakistan? I respect this lady so much.

Raisa | 9 years ago | Reply Thankyou Stacy ~ another muslim! :)

HGXRSN | 9 years ago | Reply The majority of Australia's media is owned by Rupert Murdoch so it's no surprise that massive amounts of Islamaphobia is blared out to Australian audiences round the clock. Hence, the that woman was getting at a Muslim couple who was just minding its own business. However, there are still voices of reason like Stacy who respect other people's human rights regardless of religion, probably because social media may have provided an alternative viewpoint from what the Australian mainstream media gives. We keep forgetting that at the end of the day we are all human. That abuser had no right to do what she did, but there will be many here in our country and likely on this discussion thread too who will defend that abuser.

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