A pregnant Swedish woman was assaulted last week in Stockholm simply because she was wearing a headscarf. According to a friend of the pregnant woman, her head was slammed into a car, causing her to pass out. The victim’s headscarf was ripped off head and other women who were seen wearing headscarves were harassed too. (Source)
The victim believes that her faith was the reason why she was assaulted, according to local Stockholm police. The incident, that also involved racist taunts, sparked a feminist call for women in Sweden to wear headscarves as a symbol of solidarity with the pregnant woman.
A number of local Swedish individuals, mostly women, showed their support against racism by uploading pictures of themselves in headscarves on Instagram, using the hashtag #HijabUppropet.
“The initiative is about raising awareness on the types of abuse Muslim women face of their religious identity,” said Foujan Rouzbeh and Nabila Abul Fattah, the organizers of Hijab Uppropet. Celebrities like Emma Frost and local politicians are also posting picture of themselves wearing headscarves for support.
Police have yet to arrest any suspects involved in the beating of the pregnant woman.
‘Risk of being beaten and discriminated against for how they choose to dress, everyday life for many women in Sweden 2013 #hijabuppropet”
(Source)
