By CASEY NEILL
A DANDENONG woman is “surprised” by suggestions that prejudice was behind her assault in Melbourne’s CBD.
East Police Station’s Acting Sergeant Sean Toohey said the 21-year-old Muslim woman was walking along Swanston Street, outside the State Library, about 1.10pm on Thursday (29 October).
She received a single punch to the right side of her head, causing her to fall to the ground and hit the left side of her head.
Sgt Toohey said paramedics examined the victim at the scene but she did not require hospitalisation.
“There’s been no information here to say that this is prejudice-motivated,” he said.
“The victim has told us that nothing was said to her, she just felt the strike to the head.
“She actually said to us that she saw no evidence of that anyway so she’s a bit surprised by what she’s seen in the media today.”
Islamophobia Register Australia said a 16-year-old Muslim boy named Muhammed reported telling police at the scene that he had intervened in the attack, which included the attacker tripping his victim and trying to remove her hijab.
“The offender did not appear to pull out a knife during the attack but he allegedly later pulled out a knife, when Muhammed tried to chase him away,” the register said.
Sgt Toohey said no witnesses had come forward to police and that the victim had not reported her attacker trying to remove her hijab or producing a weapon.
“All that she’s reported to us is that one punch happened,” he said.
“We don’t have any witnesses that have come forward to us.”
The attacker is described as Caucasian, 183 centimetres tall and about 45 years old with a slim build, short light-coloured hair, a beard and a tattoo on his upper right arm.
He was shirtless at the time of the incident.
