South Yorkshire Police are investigating an Islamophobic hate crime in the Attercliffe area of Sheffield following the assaults on two Muslim girls.
A police appeal, published on Friday (November 22), detailed how the two girls, aged 14 and 13, had left the mosque on Staniforth Road when four women of unknown description approached them before assaulting them.
We are appealing for anyone who witnessed a hate crime in Attercliffe in which two girls aged 13 and 14 were assaulted by four women who tried to remove their traditional Muslim dress and hijab. To find our more see our full appeal here https://t.co/Zs4ZNZkmwE pic.twitter.com/jyQRioHkc5
— South Yorkshire Police (@syptweet) November 19, 2021
The anti-Muslim assault occurred on October 14 at 19:40 GMT.
South Yorkshire Police confirmed that the perpetrators had, during the attack, sought to remove their hijabs and other religious clothing, adding that both girls suffered minor injuries.
As protocol, we urge Muslim communities to keep our safety tips in mind, more so when attending and leaving mosques or other Islamic institutions. In addition, our Resources section contain safety advice tailored for children and young people.
The assault made headlines in various newspapers – though it remains somewhat surprising that the BBC coverage excluded the crime reference number, which appears in the police appeal, we hope this is corrected, in line with other news coverage.
Tell MAMA is liaising with the police on this matter further, as we endeavour to provide updates where possible.
In the meantime, however, we urge anyone with information to contact South Yorkshire Police on 101 and quote incident number 988 of October 14. Alternatively, to provide information anonymously, contact the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.