On Saturday (December 18), the City of Fairfax Police Department in Virginia released a statement, debunking allegations of hate crime made by a female Muslim student.
In its statement, the cops informed that they were actively investigating a case of assault that took place on December 14 this year at the Fairfax High School. “The police investigation determined the physical altercation between two Fairfax High School students was not a hate crime. The investigation revealed there were no racial comments made by either student,” the cops emphasised.
“The female student confirmed her hijab became partially undone during the altercation, exposing her hair. The female student advised that the information posted on several social media sites, stating that racial comments were used during the altercation were false,” the police statement concluded.
The Background of the Case
A 16-year-old female black Muslim student in Virginia had alleged that she was called racial slurs and thrashed by two of her male classmates. She had also claimed that her hijab was pulled during the brawl that ensued on December 14, 2021. The girl, who was identified as one Ekran Mohamed had received overwhelming support from 100s of other students.
Lawyer Abed Ayoub, representing Mohamed, had claimed, “There’s multiple witnesses who can attest to racist and Islamophobic comments and overtures being made immediately prior to the incident into the assault.” He alleged that the girl had spent the evening in a hospital emergency room on the evening of the fight and was forced to serve a suspension in the same room as the accused on the following day.
Ayob alleged that the attack took place during a class exercise. “The group that included the perpetrator were drawing … the symbols of Islam, like the moon and the crescent, and were putting Xs through it.” He claimed that the Muslim girl was grabbed by her neck and scarf when she went to complain about it to the teacher. The lawyer also said that witnesses heard the two accused make ‘racist’ and ‘Islamophobic’ comments.
“It’s for every hijabi. It’s for every Muslim girl, every Muslim out there.” pic.twitter.com/d7rH1sttkH
— Muslim (@Muslim) December 18, 2021
While speaking about the incident, Ekran Mohamed told WUSA9, “I haven’t been able to eat. Because of the stress and how disgusted I am that I had to go through this where I should feel safe…It is for every Hijabi out there, every Muslim girl and every Muslim person out there. It is a daily thing that we go through.”
She further claimed, “People are trying to cover it up and make it look like an accident.” The City of Fairfax Police Department in Virginia has dismissed her claims that the assault was motivated by hate towards her race or religion.
