A Muslim woman in Paarl has been subject to an Islamaphobic attack. She was reportedly attacked by a man while wearing her niqab, which is a garment of clothing that covers the face.
28-year-old Asheeqa said she was walking when she was approached by a man who tried to pull off her niqab. He allegedly called her a “slamse gemors”, which translates to “Muslim rubbish”.
“I was en route to help my brother at the snoek stand as it was grant time and he tends to get busy,”she told African News Agency.
“I decided to walk to my brother. It was about 1.30pm and as I was walking this white man comes up to me and tries to pull off my hijab and niqab and said: ‘Jy slamse gemors, dis f$%# warm (you Muslim rubbish, it’s F#$% hot)’. It’s something I didn’t expect to ever happen to me.”
According to Asheeqa, the man also tried to throw her a stone at her and missed. She was, however, struck in the face by a bottle and now has a blue eye. The incident has left her badly traumatised.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel André Traut confirmed that a case of assault and crimen injuria has been opened at the Paarl Police Station and is being investigated. No arrests or charges have been brought yet.
Picture: Pixabay