Sat 23 November 2019:
A heavily pregnant Sydney woman who was the victim of an alleged racially-motivated attack has called on all Australians to come together to protect innocent people from racial and religious attacks.
The 38-weeks pregnant Muslim woman, identified by media reports as Rana Elasmar, 31, was with friends at a Parramatta eatery on Wednesday night when 43-year-old Stipe Lozina allegedly approached their table and spoke to them.
Lozina then allegedly leaned over and punched Ms Elasmar several times in the head and upper body, causing her to fall to the ground as her friends tried to hold him back. He then allegedly stomped on her head.
Ms Elasmar was wearing a hijab and police are looking at Islamophobia as a potential motive. It’s been reported Lozina made anti-Muslim comments to Ms Elasmar.
He appeared before Parramatta Local Court on Thursday charged with affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was refused bail to next appear on December 5.
Posting publicly on Facebook under the name of Rana Haider, Ms Elasmar said she had experienced verbal abuse and hate in the past but never thought “physical abuse of this nature could happen to me”.
The verbal abuse was “already too much,” a feeling which Ms Elasmar said the Islamic community shares.
“It is NOT ok. How somebody feels like they have the right to abuse another human being baffles me. It shows a lack of humanity. It shows weakness,” she said.
The man who attacked her “verbalised his hatred of Muslims prior to hitting me” but “he neither knows me, nor my religion,” she said.
“I do not want this attack to happen to anyone ever again. I want to see a world where people defend one another against cowardly acts like this and band together to protect the victims.
“We cannot allow behaviour like this to become the norm and sit silent.”
HORRIFIC VIDEO EMERGES OF HEAVILY-PREGNANT MUSLIM WOMAN ATTACKED (VIDEO)
Ms Elasmar suffered a number of bruises and has some swelling. She was taken to Westmead Hospital but was later discharged.
The condition of the unborn child has not been disclosed.
“As a result of the assault she does seem somewhat emotionally and physically traumatised,” Inspector Luke Sywenkyj told reporters in Sydney.
“Our police investigation at this stage is still in its infancy but the assault would appear to be completely random and unprovoked.”
Horrific CCTV vision of the attack shows Ms Elasmar holding her head as she is helped up.
She did not know Lozina but he is known to police.
Insp Sywenkyj said he wanted to personally commend members of the community for their “brave action” in coming to Ms Elasmar’s defence.
“If it was not for the brave actions of all these members of the community in stopping the assault the victim may very well have sustained much more serious injuries,” he said.
Ms Elasmar also thanked her friends and the members of the public who helped her.
“The overwhelming support I have received is a reflection that this was a story that many can relate to,” she wrote on Facebook.
“We are mothers, wives, daughters and we deserve to feel safe wherever we go. We deserve a night out to unwind without being fearful of an attack like this happening again.
“I fear for the world our children will grow up in, if this issue is not addressed.
“I call all Australians, Muslim or non-muslims, of all faiths and cultures to come together, as you have already done for me, and voice your solidarity in protecting innocent people from any future racial/religious attacks.”
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils labelled the attack “horrific and cowardly”.
“This was clearly a racist and Islamophobic attack and we expect it to be treated as such,” federation president Dr Rateb Jneid said in a statement on Friday.
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