Muslim woman’s hijab pulled off during swarming attack being investigated as possible hate crime

A swarming attack on a business owner in Oshawa, Ont., that police are investigating as a possible hate crime has shaken the victim’s family and the broader Muslim community, which has seen a rise in Islamophobic incidents, advocates said Thursday.

Amira Elghawaby, federal special representative on combatting Islamophobia, said the alleged suspects “violently” ripped off the woman’s hijab and kicked her repeatedly during the attack.