Elham Asaad Buaras
A mum of four was subjected to a violent Islamophobic attack in Gardanne, a town in the Bouches-du-Rhône region of southern France, on November 25. The 43-year-old hijab-wearing victim was followed by two women who verbally attacked her with racist and Islamophobic insults.
The attackers accused her of “taking advantage of social benefits” and made further offensive comments, including comparing her to Palestinians and expressing violent threats.
The situation escalated when the victim confronted the assailants, saying, “You have no right to talk to me like that.” The attackers then physically subdued her, pinning her to the ground, ripping off her hijab, and beating her while calling her derogatory racial slurs. During the attack, they also issued death threats, saying, “We must finish her off.”
The victim, after receiving medical treatment for injuries such as fractured ribs, a wrist hematoma, abrasion on her legs, and facial bruising, expressed the psychological toll of the assault. According to reports, two days after the attack, the emotional trauma remained intense, and the victim struggled with psychological distress.
“I want to stay home, but I have four children. I’m angry and keep thinking I should have defended myself,” she said.
This incident is part of a broader rise in Islamophobic attacks across France, which have targeted Muslims, mosques, and Muslim-owned businesses. Many Muslim communities in the country have been subjected to verbal abuse, acts of vandalism, and discriminatory policies, such as those that prevent women who wear the hijab from participating in certain sports.
These incidents underscore the growing challenge of Islamophobia in France, particularly toward Muslim women who choose to wear religious attire.
Authorities are investigating the attack, and the victim has filed a police report, with her family seeking witnesses to the assault.
