US: Muslim student attacked in New York subway missing

December 21, 2016Science & Faith

A Muslim teen who was the victim of a bias attack earlier this month on the city’s subway has been missing for two days, according to police.

Yasmin Seweid was last seen Wednesday leaving her home at around 8 p.m.in New Hyde Park, just outside of New York City, police said.

The 18-year-old student reported to police Dec. 1 that she was harassed by three drunk men who called her a terrorist and tried to pull her hijab off her head on the platform of the number 6 train station in Manhattan.

She posted this on her facebook about the Islamophobic incident:

“I initially was not planning on making a post about what happened yesterday, but you will probably be seeing stories about it on the news & in the newspaper tomorrow. I take the train every single day going to & coming from class, but yesterday, something happened that I never thought would happen to me. I was harassed on the subway last night and it was just so dehumanizing I can’t speak about it without getting emotional. Three white racists ripped the straps off my bag & attempted to yank my hijab off my head. They yelled such disgusting slurs at me, I was so helpless and felt defenseless. “Look it’s a fucking terrorist”, “go back to your country”, “take that rag off your head”, and so many more. Trump’s name was repeatedly said & it finally clicked in my head. No matter how “cultured” or “Americanized” I am, these people don’t see me as an American. It breaks my heart that so many individuals chose to be bystanders while watching me get harassed verbally and physically by these disgusting pigs. Trump America is real and I witnessed it first hand last night! What a traumatizing night. Please stay safe everyone & never let anyone take your rights away. Just thought I should share that with you all tonight.”

Police told Anadolu Agency they have no leads in the case.

The attack was soon followed by two more against hijab-wearing Muslim women.

Soha Salama, 45, who works with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, was verbally abused during the morning commute Monday by a passenger on a train, who then followed her off the car and pushed her off the stairs, leaving her with leg injuries.

Last weekend, police officer Aml Elsokary was targeted, along with her son, in a hate attack. Elsokary, a NYC native, was told to “go back to your country” and accused of being a terrorist by a white man who pushed her son around. He was later arrested and charged with second-degree harassment.

Bias incidents are increasingly becoming commonplace in the New York City, one of the biggest metropolises in the world. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo vowed last month to fight the “explosion of hate crimes” across the state since Donald Trump was elected president.