Sydney — In an Islamophobic attack in Sydney, a man has been charged for punching and stomping on a heavily pregnant woman at a cafe in the city’s west on Wednesday.
A CCTV footage of the incident showed a 43-year old man approaching a table of three women wearing headscarves. The suspect was seen pouncing over the table and attacking a 31-year-old woman who was 38-weeks pregnant—Police authorities said.
Disgusting act of hate!!???
— ??خاتيجا سليمانKhatija (@KatSuleman) November 22, 2019
A 38 weeks pregnant #Muslim #women was punched several times and kicked when she fell to the ground in an #islamaphobic attack at a restaurant in #Sydney #Australia #Islamophobia #hijabi #muslimah #Hater #Aussie #attacker #hatecrime #Muslims pic.twitter.com/rrIXohkyBl
After heavy punches, the victim fell off the chair and was stamped on till the bystanders intervened and pushed the suspect away.
According to Police, the suspect has been charged with “assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray” and denied bail. However, they refused to mention about attacker’s motives but left the open possibility of additional charges being laid against him.
Meanwhile, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) claimed on Thursday the man was heard “yelling anti-Islamic hate speech at the victim and her friends.”
“This was clearly a racist and Islamophobic attack and we expect it to be treated as such,” said AFIC president Rateb Jneid.
“If it were not for the brave actions of these members of the community in stopping the assault the victim may very well have sustained much more serious injuries,” said police inspector Luke Sywenkyj.
The woman was immediately taken to the Hospital and was discharged later.
Australia has faced a number of Islamophobic attacks, during First Gulf War in 1990s, a lot of Arab-owned shops were looted and ransacked. In 2014, anti-Halal certification campaign was carried out.
In 2014, a person named Kamal Saleh conducted social experiment to test how Australians would react if they witness Islamophobic attacks, it was later shown to Muslim Australians to stand up against the abuse and the Muslims’ honor.
