Woman's headscarf 'ripped off' in racist train attack
A young woman says her headscarf was ripped off in a vicious racial attack after a Melbourne train attack where she was defending a fellow passenger.
Footage captured the moment a woman hurled abuse at a female passenger wearing a headscarf on a carriage in the city’s south-east.
Fahima Adan told 7 News she heard the woman yelling at a Muslim mother and toddler on the Saturday afternoon train and came to their defence.
“I hate Islam,” the abusive woman can be heard yelling at Ms Adan who responded with: “I’m Australian as well.”
“No, you’re not,” the first woman screamed back at her.
The abusive woman then yelled: “This is for Australia. Southern cross flag country.”
“So over this s**t,” Ms Adan can be heard muttering in tears as she walked away.
She told 7 News when she exited the train to take a replacement bus at Westall Station, in Clayton South, the woman grabbed her.
Ms Adan suffered cuts and bruises.
The woman then pulled off Ms Adan’s headscarf and threw it in nearby bushes, the victim said.
“The lady saw that I was from the same religion and sort of attacked me and tried to remove my headscarf,” she said of the incident on the train.
“Words can’t describe how that made me feel because there’s just no need. That’s just the ultimate disrespect.
“My safety is in danger because of what I wear, my religion.”
A 39-year-old Clayton woman was arrested and interviewed shortly after the incident. She was released pending summons for unlawful assault, a police spokesperson confirmed to Yahoo7 News.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page.
