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http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSL0250204920070503?feedType=RSS

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Islamophobia in a village
By Elham Asaad Buaras

Two Derby families say day trip to the picturesque Derbyshire village of Belpar 
was ruined by an Islamophobic attack.


Mohammed Khalifa, 37, and Nathalie Faustilio, 24, said the trip with their 
friends on May 18 went horribly wrong when Khalifa and his friend Hassan Sami, 
21, left their wives and two young children alone in the River Garden in North 
Mill Bridgefoot to withdraw money.

Faustilio, an Italian Muslim convert, and English convert, Soria Hawata, 21, 
were subjected to an unprovoked and sustained Islamophobic attack which left 
Khalifa with broken ribs and both women in constant fear.

Speaking to The Muslim News Faustilio said trouble began when she and her 
friend were left alone by their husbands in the park. "When they went to get 
money from the ATM machines a man started screaming really foul things at us."

Faustilio insists the nasty verbal abuse was so motiveless she initially 
thought he was aiming the expletives at his dog, "He was swearing and saying 
really bad things. At first I thought he was aiming his abuse at the dog then I 
found out he was aiming it at me."

The hijab wearing ladies said they were told to remove their "Pakistani 
clothes". "He told me and Soria to get out of the country, his exact words were 
'get the [EMAIL PROTECTED] out my country go back to Pakistan'. I told him I'm 
Italian and my friend was English and even if we weren't it was none of his 
business."

The man continued to hurl verbal abuse at the two and even spat at Nathalie who 
said she had "never been subjected to Islamophobia at this level."

Faustilio said she was left in tears when she noticed no one in the park came 
to their assistance. Instead, she said, a small crowd had gathered to watch. "A 
couple of people thought it was amusing and were smiling but they didn't help 
us."

"Only a lady working in the parks café called the police when Nathalie asked 
her to," said Hawata.

Khalifa said he returned to see his wife being sworn and spat at, "I shoved him 
out of the way he pushed me. I pushed him back and we fought."

The police arrived as the fighting ensued. Faustilio said her husband, who had 
broken his rib and his friend were arrested, whilst the assailant was taken to 
hospital for his broken nose. The women asked to go in the police car for 
protection but were told to walk. "Before my husband came the man called his 
mobile and said he was calling his mates to come over. The police said we had 
to walk to the police station in a village we didn't know with two small 
children for 15 minutes. We got lost and were worried the man's mates would 
come." However, later, Faustilio's husband and his friend were released without 
charge.

Hawata also criticised Derbyshire police for not keeping them informed on the 
fate of their harasser, "They haven't informed either me or Nathalie of what 
happened to the man. We know he was arrested at the time but we don't know what 
else happened."

"He lives in Derby near us and whenever I take public transport I worry that I 
might bump into him," said Hawata.

A spokesperson for Derbshire police told The Muslim News,, "A 39 year old man 
from Derby was taken to hospital where he had surgery on his nose. Once he was 
released from hospital he was arrested and questioned. He was released on bail 
and his case has been forwarded to the CPS for review."

 http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/paper/index.php?article=3554

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