Three men attempted to rip off Yasmin Seweid's hijab, calling the 18-year-old student a "terrorist" and shouting President-elect Trump's name as she rode the subway through Manhattan.
Straphangers stood by and watched as the three drunk white men repeatedly screamed "Donald Trump!" and hurled anti-Islam slurs at the Muslim Baruch College student before trying to rip her hijab off on an East Side subway, the woman told the New York Daily News.
The incident that took place on Thursday is being investigated by the NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force. Police are reviewing surveillance video to identify the men involved.
Seweid said she was stunned by the assault and the fact that no one in the subway car came to her aid.
"I heard them say something very loudly, something about Donald Trump...I also heard them say the word terrorist and I sort of got a little scared," Seweid was quoted as saying.
They kept screaming Trump's name at her, and then said, "Oh look, a (expletive) terrorist," according to Seweid.
"Get the hell out of the country!" they yelled during the train ride. "You don't belong here!"
Seweid, who was born in the US to Egyptian parents, was shocked. "I born and raised in this country. I'm an American, you know?" she said.
When Seweid ignored them, they pulled on her bag to get her attention and the strap broke.
"That's when I turned around and said 'can you please leave me alone', and they started laughing," Seweid said.
She walked to the other end of the train, and they followed her and tried to pull off her hijab.
"I put my hand on top of my head to hold it. Then I turned around and screamed," she said. Seweid got off the train and reported the terrifying incident to police.
The incident comes amid a slew of intimidation and assault cases that have been reported across the country against hijab-clad women following Trump's win.
Earlier this month, a Hijab-clad Muslim student was allegedly struck in the face with a glass bottle in broad daylight at the University of Washington campus in Seattle.
In another incident, a hijab-clad woman was allegedly accosted at a US store by another customer who called her a "terrorist" and told her to "get out" of the country.
Also, a Muslim student's hijab was allegedly ripped off and her hair pulled down by a classmate at a school in Minnesota.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
)