Police Investigating Hate Crime against Muslim Student
“We are calling on the SDSU and greater San Diego community to come out and rally against Islamphobia and bigotry in defense of Muslim students and all oppressed people,” the Muslim Student Association wrote on its Facebook page.
The incident happened on Nov. 19 when an unknown male reportedly pushed her, pulled at her headscarf and made hate-related comments and threats based on her ethnicity and religion, according to the SDSU police report.
The suspect is reportedly a white male in his 20s and the police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
The march to speak out against Islamophobic acts featured speaker Hanif Mohebi, the director of the San Diego branch of Muslim-advocacy group the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
“The incident may be related to the backlash against the American Muslim community since the recent terror attacks in Paris,” CAIR-San Diego wrote in a news update.
In response to the alleged attack, SDSU President Elliot Hirshman and Vice President of Student Affairs Eric Rivera said in a statement:
“We unequivocally condemn all forms of bigotry and any efforts to intimidate, harm or demean any members of our community.
“Such bigotry is destructive to the spirit of our campus and we strongly affirm our commitment to providing a welcoming, caring and supportive environment for all students, faculty, staff and community members.”
The Muslim Student Association at SDSU has compiled a list of demands, including bystander training for faculty, staff and students, and increased coursework on Islam.
Source: college.usatoday.com
