New York police hunt man who set fire to Scottish Muslim woman's dress
Campaigners say it is part of an alarming pattern of attacks on Muslims and Islamic sites
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.New York Police say a Muslim woman whose traditional clothing was set alight in a suspected hate crime was a Scottish tourist visiting Manhattan.
The attack happened on Fifth Avenue as she returned to her hotel from sightseeing, said a police source.
She felt something warm on her arm and saw a man with a cigarette lighter, according to the police complaint, but was able to pat down the flame and suffered no injury.
“She was visiting from Scotland but we cannot say more than that,” said a police officer, adding that the case had been passed to the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force.
One local report identified the woman as a dentist from Glasgow.
The attack took place on Saturday and no-one has been arrested. Police have footage of the incident and have appealed to the public for help.
It comes as race relations and the treatment of religious minorities are under intense scrutiny during a torrid period of election campaigning.
The latest attack comes soon after a Brooklyn woman allegedly beat two Muslim women as they walked with pushchairs.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations described the incident as part of an alarming pattern of attacks on Muslims and Islamic sites in recent months.
“We are clearly seeing a spike in attacks on individual Muslims and Islamic institutions in New York and around the country, which should be of concern to all Americans,” said Afaf Nasher, director of the group’s New York chapter, in a statement posted on Facebook.
“It is time for the mayor and the NYPD to put forward the necessary resources to investigate and prevent these attacks on the Muslim community.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments