Muslim woman in niqab told “there was no need for al-Qaeda in the area”

A group of teenagers threatened a Muslim woman in a niqab and told her she was “not welcome” and that “there was no need for al-Qaeda in the area” in a residential car park in east London.

Speaking to Tell MAMA, the woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, described the moment a group of 7 to 8 youths, all in helmets who stood next to their mopeds, threatened her as she returned to her car.

The incident took place on April 26.

The Metropolitan Police investigated the Islamophobic incident but then closed the case, citing a lack of evidence and witnesses.

Tell MAMA has continued to document the often-disproportionate abuse, discrimination and violence directed at Muslim women who wear the niqab, which is an affront to their fundamental right to freely practice their religious beliefs and wear religious clothing, regardless of how conservative some interpret it.

This abuse and acts of discriminatory behaviour have impacted Muslim women at open-days for schools or in their interactions with Transport for London (TfL) staff. One Muslim woman told Tell MAMA that a TfL driver said: “I can’t hear you, I don’t want to speak to you with that thing on your face”, after enquiring if her child could also board the bus despite losing their Oyster card.

Other recent examples include threats or abusive comments following the comments made by the former Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, last year.

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Categories: Al Qaeda, hate crime, London, Metropolitan Police, MPS, News, Niqab