A woman who attacked and strangled a 14-year-old Muslim schoolgirl with her own hijab on a local bus in northern England has been released with a mere
A woman who attacked and strangled a 14-year-old Muslim schoolgirl with her own hijab on a local bus in northern England has been released with a mere “caution”.
Redena Al-Hadi, who thought she was going to die when she was strangled with her hijab, was reportedly furious when her attacker was allowed to walk scot-free and terrified of the possibility that she could come face-to-face with her again.
Yeni Şafak
Woman who strangled schoolgirl with ‘her own hijab’ gets shocking sentence
Cellphone recordings shows the 40-year-old woman pinning the 14-year-old Muslim schoolgirl to the floor, punching her in the head and even the eye repeatedly and using girl’s own headscarf to garrote her and a man shouting Islamophobic slurs. The attacker woman reportedly has been released with a mere “caution’.
Al-Hadi, accompanied by her friend and sister, was assaulted on Wednesday while on her way home from school on the bus in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
A man mimicked her friend and then another began screaming at her. In response to the racial slur, a young boy stood up and warned him to stop harassing the girl, when a woman began to push and punch him.
“I stood up and said, ‘Don’t do that he is a child,’” Al-Hadi said.
“I then tried to get all the girls off the bus, but the woman came up to my face and started saying my hijab was making her sick. I felt really hurt. She pulled my head down and she dragged me off the bus,’’ she added.
Muslim schoolgirl targeted in Islamophobic assault in UK
British police said they have arrested a man and a woman after a video on social media showed the woman attacking a teenage Muslim schoolgirl on a local bus in Northern England.The cellphone footage from Wednesday shows the 40-year-old woman hitting the 14-year-old Muslim schoolgirl on the floor repeatedly and a man shouting Islamophobic slurs.The assault on the young girl started on a single-decker service bus, bound for Ecclesfield, Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, and then continued outside the bus.Police said they were called to the Nursery Tavern in Sheffield following “reports of racial abuse” and that “a man and a woman were asked to leave the premises.”But the same man and woman, who appear in the video footage, were later involved in the assault of “a 14-year-old girl,” according to the statement.The woman and a 44-year-old man have been arrested in connection with the incident, according to the South Yorkshire Police.The girl’s school also made a statement on the incident.“We are aware of an incident that has happened outside of school where it appears that some of our students have suffered abuse from members of the public,” said Silverdale School.“We are supporting the students and their families in any way needed,” it said.“Given that this is an ongoing police investigation, we won’t be commenting further.”Islamophobia in the U.K. has shown a sharp rise since the 2017 terror attacks in London and Manchester.
Turks abroad face dozens of xenophobic attacks in 2019
Turkish citizens living abroad have faced at least 88 attacks based on xenophobia and racism in the first nine months of 2019, according to a dedicated Foreign Ministry database.In response to rising xenophobia, discrimination, racism, and Islamophobia across the world — especially in Europe, where up to 5.5 million Turks live — the ministry took action to set up the database to track attacks on Turkish citizens living abroad.In addition, the ministry also established a 24-7 call center in order to help Turkish people targeted by such attacks and inform them of their legal rights. The call center also records attack statistics.So far, 2019 has seen a total of 88 xenophobic attacks reported to Turkish foreign mission representatives.Most of them — 56 — took place in Germany, while Austria and Switzerland both ranked second, with seven attacks apiece.Six attacks were carried out in France, and two apiece in the U.S., the Netherlands, and Greece; also, Turks living in Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the U.K., New Zealand and Poland reported one attack apiece.Given that most attacks are not reported to police or authorities, the true attack figure is thought to be much higher.
Cellphone recordings shows the 40-year-old woman pinning the 14-year-old Muslim schoolgirl to the floor, punching her in the head and even the eye repeatedly and using girl’s own headscarf to garrote her and a man shouting Islamophobic slurs.
British police, who arrived and found the victim heavily injured and her sister and friend traumatized, had arrested the male and female assailants.
However just one day after the incident, Redena and her family were shocked and horrified when they found out her attacker had been let off with a caution because “this was her first offense.’’
Erdoğan rejects reference to ‘Islamic terror’
A Muslim cannot be a terrorist and Islam does not produce terrorists, the Turkish president said on Thursday, once again rejecting the term “Islamic terrorism”. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said racism, discrimination and Islamophobia have spread like poison ivy in countries once seen as cradles of democracy.Erdogan’s remarks came at the inauguration ceremony of the Cambridge Central Mosque which he attended with first lady Emine Erdogan and a group of high-level Turkish officials.He traveled to Cambridgeshire to attend the ceremony from London, where he had arrived earlier this week to attend the NATO leaders’ summit.Erdogan said workplaces, homes and places of worships of Muslims and foreigners are targeted by racists and fascist almost every day.“Muslim women are abused only because they are wearing headscarves” in Islamophobic attacks, Erdogan said, adding Jewish, black people and whoever looks different are targeted in similar attacks. Especially attacks targeting places of worships have reached “incredible dimensions,” he added, recalling the mosque attack in New Zealand, church attacks in Sri Lanka and synagogues in the U.S. He said: “Hundreds of innocent people… were killed and tens of them were wounded in those attacks.” “If places of worship are burned, bombed and civilians are killed violently there, it means that alarm bells are ringing for humanity.” As Turkey, we have said terrorism is a common enemy of all, he added. “You cannot bring the words terror and Islam together. If you keep doing it, then we are condemning those who do it,” he added. A Muslim cannot be a terrorist; Islam does not produce terrorists, Erdogan underlined. “We do not accept the Islamic terrorism etiquette, [a term] some insistently try to keep popular.” Erdogan said Turkey has been fighting Daesh/ISIS more effectively than any other country, noting that 3,000 terrorists were neutralized only in Syria’a Al Bab town. Erdogan said he rejects any distinction of “good or bad” terrorist and all terrorists of Daesh, FETO, PKK/YPG, even Neo-Nazis are “bloodthirsty vampires”.- Cambridge Central MosqueSpeaking about Europe’s first eco-friendly mosque built in Cambridge, Erdogan said the mosque will be the “best response to rising Islamophobia”.“I believe this mosque, which has become the symbol of solidarity against discrimination from the first moment, will, God willing, continue to be the center of unity, conversation and peace in the future,” he said.The ceremony opened with Quranic recitation from mosque imam Sejid Mekic.Also attending the ceremony, British singer Yusuf Islam said the Cambridge Central Mosque will promote understanding.Underlining that he became Muslim more than 40 years ago and his conversion was a “spiritual step forward”, Islam thanked the Turkish president and Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate for assistance in building the mosque. “We are not only opening a mosque in Cambridge but presenting a work that rejects contradiction,” head of Religious Affairs Directorate Ali Erbas said in his speech. The road to building Europe’s first eco-friendly mosque began back in 2008, when the capacity of local churches and houses was unable to meet the worship needs of local Muslims. Muslim students in the city turned to one of Britain’s most influential Muslims Timothy Winter, also known as Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, the dean of the Cambridge Muslim College, who was instrumental in getting the land for the new mosque.More than 10,000 people and groups donated money for the landmark purchase, with Turkish groups donating most generously. The Qatar National Fund also was among the donors.- Support from ErdoganAbdal Hakim Murad, together with Islam (also known as Cat Stevens), sought support for the project from Erdogan, who was then Turkey’s prime minister.In the project, Islam’s aesthetics and the Prophet Muhammad’s life and the importance he placed on protecting nature were used as an inspiration.A competition helped determine the mosque’s design, which includes a garden, portico, yard, lavatory, prayer room, and bathing cubicle.The design of the mosque’s garden, where some 1,000 people can pray at the same time, pays respect to Islamic traditions, and making the mosque building eco-friendly was a priority.Besides using natural materials such as wood and marble, the mosque is already famed for its zero-carbon footprint.
Pakistani fans to watch ‘Resurrection: Ertuğrul’ in Urdu after PM Khan’s request
Pakistan’s state-run television is set to broadcast the globally-acclaimed Turkish TV series “Resurrection: Ertuğrul”, dubbed in the national language after a special request by Prime Minister Imran Khan.The Pakistan Television Corporation (PTV) has already started to cast Urdu voice-over artists after obtaining the broadcast rights of the drama from the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), Arab News reported, citing a source from the state broadcaster on Tuesday.Many TV channels in Pakistan broadcast Turkish drama series and movies, especially the Urdu 1 channel, which airs four Turkish serials a day dubbed in Urdu.Pakistan’s Imran Khan previously called on the youth to watch the Turkish drama to promote Islamic values.Often called the Turkish “Game of Thrones” by fans, Resurrection: Ertuğrul, tells the story of the period prior to the establishment of the Ottoman Empire around the life of Ertuğrul Gazi, the father of the empire’s first leader in 13th century Anatolia.“We have taken this initiative as the prime minister wants to preserve our social, cultural and religious norms,” said Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting.“The Muslim world has its own cultural heritage and values, but we are looking into western ones,” she added.Hundreds of fans flooded social media with comments after the announcement.”That will be great. I always wanted to be dubbed in Urdu and telecasted on PTV,” one social media user posted on Twitter.That will be great👌👌👌..I always wanted to be dubbed in urdu and telecasted on #PTV.#ThankyouPMIK..🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻— Early Bird🇵🇰 (@KhaOmm) December 3, 2019 “Great step taken by PM. Our kids should know our Muslim history… it’s the best series in the world,” anorher fans said.Wow…. I have watched all episodes of it in English sub titles and Turkish, while now Kuruls Usman is in English sub titles. In Urdu Dubbing it will be amazing…. Cant Wait for it…. Hurry up Please.— Engr IMK (@engrimk) December 3, 2019 In September, Turkey, Pakistan and Malaysia agreed to launch a TV channel dedicated to confronting the challenges posed by Islamophobia.The center of the intended TV channel project will likely take place in Istanbul, according to reports.Turkey is one of the top five series-exporting countries in the world, enthralling audiences from Latin America to Central Asia.Dozens of Turkish series are being followed by more than 500 million viewers in over 150 countries, according to Turkey’s Culture Ministry.
“It makes me feel sick and scared. I don’t want to go to school. How can an adult attack a child for wearing a hijab?’’ Redena told Mirror Online.
“I was a young girl trying to go to home. It makes me feel so targeted. That is who I am. When she was strangling me I thought I was going to die. She shouldn’t be on the streets. She could do this to another Muslim. I am now too scared to leave my house,’’ she added.
Turkey urged to lead fight against all discrimination
Turkey as a Muslim state must be at the forefront of the global fight against every kind of discrimination, prejudice and racism, not only for the sake of Muslims, but for all mankind, the founder and CEO of a prominent U.K.-based research and advisory group said Wednesday.Speaking at an event where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met representatives of the Turkish and Muslim communities in the U.K., Anas Altikriti said “the plight of many Muslim societies, communities and minorities living under a state of oppression, discrimination, occupation and subjugation around the world is unacceptable.”Altikriti said many campaigns in the U.K. work to lift those conditions, and Turkey is notable for its support for many of those cases and its efforts in standing by the Palestinians, Syrians, Libyans, Yemenis, Rohingya, Kashmiris, Uyghurs, and countless others are recognized and deeply appreciated beyond the nations of Muslims.“However, much more needs to be done, particularly in upholding the values of human rights, democracy, freedom and justice, and with Turkey’s ascendency on the global stage of economic, manufacturing and industrial success come the responsibilities which you are undoubtedly well aware of.”PKK terrorism a ‘real threat’ to Turkey, says UK PMMacron says quartet London summit on Syria ‘very useful’- IslamophobiaA recent initiative by President Erdoğan to advocate and promote true Islam around the world could not have come at a better time, Altikriti said.He reminded those attending the event that Erdoğan had recently announced a new initiative to advocate and promote true Islam around the world, “the Islam which the overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world understand and exhibit every single day of their lives.”Altikriti praised the timing of the initiative, pointing out the proximity of the event’s venue to the location of a recent terrorist attack in London.“We are gathered here right now only a few steps away from London Bridge, where a terrorist attack took place only a few days ago, and from which we as a Muslim community and a British society are challenged to emerge stronger, more resilient and more appreciative of the values that govern both our faith as well as our human collective.“If anything, the messages sent by the families of the two victims as well as the family of the culprit show that we are indeed on course to achieving that,” he said.Erdoğan condemns associating Islam with terrorismTurkish First Lady meets MPs, Somali diaspora in London“Islamophobia is an issue which ravages and challenges our society today.“Both on the rhetorical as well as on the physical levels, callous acts, incidents and crimes driven by the ignorance and hatred of Islam and Muslims are at record levels. While figures and heroes of the British Muslim community continue to fight the manifestations of this disease within our political and media structures, the rise and expansion of extremist rhetoric on both sides of the spectrum poses an existential danger to the safety, security and future prospects of all of society.”Pointing out that Islamophobia is a disease that travels as fast as the fastest broadband internet and satellite connection and that it recognizes no borders, Altikriti also said that many Islamophobes in the U.K. find inspiration in extremists across the borders in Europe, North America and elsewhere and vice versa.“This year’s massacre of 51 worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand is but one tragic example. Moreover, Islamophobia today finds footing within Muslim states and regimes and their exertions are often used as cover and justification for the racists and extremists around the world.”Altikriti also said in his speech that British Muslims lead in campaigns, platforms, groups associations and organizations which collectively represent and indeed enact Islam in all facets of British life.“They together present the pure form of Islam and exhibit the sublime humane values which our faith ordains in an attempt to make a better, more prosperous, more caring and more responsible Britain. Their contributions are recognized, and not a single corner of British life operates without the input of Muslims,” he said.“You are an inspiration to many, and Turkey under your leadership has gained countless friends from around the world,” Altikriti told Erdoğan.“We pray for you and we pray for Turkey.”
Islamophobia poses ‘real danger’: German official
Germany’s integration minister on Tuesday expressed concern over Islamophobia, warning that it poses a “real danger” to social cohesion.Presenting the annual government report on the state of integration in the capital Berlin, Annette Widmann-Mauz said: “Right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism, and hostility towards Muslims are a very real danger that we have to combat in a consequent and sustainable manner.”She added: “I’m worried about any extremist development where people are being combatted, insulted and threatened because of their origin, and because of their faith and because they look different. And that is why it is urgent that we also recognize clearly that this is a real danger. A threat to this society, to its cohesion.”Widmann-Mauz said that a free and secure society has “to guarantee all people that they can be different without fear.”Germany has witnessed growing anti-Muslim hate crimes in recent years sparked by hate propaganda by far-right parties.In 2018 more than 100 mosques and religious institutions were attacked by far-right extremists.Police recorded 813 hate crimes against Muslims last year, including verbal insults, threatening letters, and physical attacks which led to at least 54 Muslims being wounded.Germany’s Muslim community is “not feeling safe enough” amid the country’s growing Islamophobia, a German Muslim leader recently told Anadolu Agency in Berlin.”This year we had more than 80 attacks on mosque communities in Germany. The security situation is very tense. Muslims are not feeling safe enough,” said Burhan Kesici, chairman of the Berlin-based Islam Council.”Security authorities need to definitely work closer with the [Muslim] communities, develop concepts, and provide advice. Otherwise, Muslims lose confidence in the security agencies,” he added.A country of over 81 million people, Germany is home to the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France.Among the country’s nearly 4.7 million Muslims, at least 3 million are of Turkish origin.
The girl’s school also made a statement on the incident.
“We are aware of an incident that has happened outside of school where it appears that some of our students have suffered abuse from members of the public,” said Silverdale School.
“We are supporting the students and their families in any way needed,” it said.
“Given that this is an ongoing police investigation, we won’t be commenting further.”
Islamophobia in the U.K. has shown a sharp rise since the 2017 terror attacks in London and Manchester.
German president visits mosque
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for more understanding and respect between religions after visiting a mosque in the southern town of Penzberg on Monday, according to the DPA news agency.This is true “especially at a time when polarization in our society is increasing again, in which we also experience much hatred,” Steinmeier said.Speaking to the local imam of the mosque, Benjamin Idriz, he said what is taking place in Penzberg and at the mosque is exactly what he wants for his country: “Curiosity for each other and respect for each other” as seen in everyday life.”In this respect, something is happening here that we really want to have: that the growing together of people of different faiths is as respectful as we experience it here in Penzberg,” Steinmeier added.The German head of state praised the commitment of the Islamic community in the town but also thanked the people of Penzberg for embracing the Islamic community with so much openness and respect.In this respect, Penzberg could be a model for many communities, especially in urban areas, according to Steinmeier.Several hundred people demonstrated on the occasion of Steinmeier’s visit for more tolerance and cosmopolitanism and far outnumbered the handful of supporters of the far-right populist PEGIDA movement.Germany has witnessed growing Islamophobia in recent years sparked by hate propaganda of far-right parties.Police recorded 813 hate crimes against Muslims last year, including verbal insults, threatening letters and physical attacks.More than 100 mosques and religious institutions were attacked by far-right extremists in 2018.A country of over 83 million people, Germany is home to the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France.Among the country’s nearly 4.7 million Muslims, at least three million are of Turkish origin.