New York police release CCTV of attack on Scottish muslim
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The 35-year-old Muslim woman, named by American media outlets as Nemariq Alhinai from Glasgow, had her clothes set alight by a man with a lighter on the city’s Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, the New York City Police Department said.
The Scot was uninjured in the incident, which took place on Saturday evening, but police are investigating the alleged assault as a hate crime.
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Hide AdIt is understood she was on holiday in the city at the time and works as a dentist in Scotland. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said the incident was part of an alarming pattern of attacks on Muslims and Islamic sites in recent months.
A police spokesman said: “The New York City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying an individual wanted in connection with an assault that occurred within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct.
“It was reported to police that on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 8.58pm police had a pick-up of an assault in front of a commercial establishment (Valentino) located at 693 Fifth Avenue.
“The victim, a 35-year-old female, informed police that she was walking on the sidewalk when she felt something warm on her left arm and noticed her blouse was on fire.
“She patted out the fire and observed a male standing next to her with a lighter in his hand. The unknown male then proceeded to walk eastbound on East 54 Street.
“The victim refused medical attention at the scene. The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident. There are no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.”
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