SEATTLE — Seattle Police are now calling an attack against a Muslim woman in the University District a hate crime.
They say the victim was at her job in the University District when a knife-wielding suspect grabbed her from behind and put her in a chokehold at around 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 12.
Investigators say the attacker made insulting comments about the woman’s perceived religion and ethnic background and brought up Israel and Iran.
The attacker also ripped off the woman’s head covering and stole it, according to Washington’s Council on American-Islamic Relations.
“That’s definitely concerning because we have a population here on campus from the Muslim community, a lot of young ladies that wear the headscarf,” said CAIR-WA Executive Director Imraan Siddiqi. “These are the manifestations of this kind of rhetoric escalating in society.”
Siddiqi said the woman was so traumatized that she’s too afraid to return to work.
If you saw the attack or anything that could help police, investigators want to hear from you.