SDSU STUDENTS RALLY AGAINST ISLAMAPHOBIA
East County News Service
November 23, 2015 (San Diego) – In response to an assault on a Muslim woman at San Diego State University last week,, the Muslim Student Association announced a rally against Islamaphobia at Hepner Hall held earlier at 12:30 p.m. today.
On Thursday, a man ripped a head scarf off a young woman walking on campus and pushed her, using racial slurs. The student was not injured, however the assault is being investigated as a hate crime.
Campus police describe the suspect as a white man in his 20s, thin with black hair and green or hazel eyes, about 5 feet 11 inches tall.
The Muslim Student Association called for a zero tolerance policy toward Islamophobic rhetoric and actions campus as well as mandatory training for faculty, staff and students as well as coursework on Islam to eliminate what it calls “systems of oppression” that can lead to scapegoating of Muslim students. The group says it wants to foster a “more inclusive climate by promoting tolerance and acceptance between different cultures and religions."
The Council on American-Islamic Relations in San Diego issued a statement indicating the attack on the Muslim woman at SDSU could be related to a “backlash against the American Muslim community since the recent terror attacks in Paris."
The Islamic State, or ISIS, has claimed credit for the brutal attacks on a theater, stadium, and restaurants in Paris.