Police are investigating a hate crime after a Muslim woman had her hijab torn off in the street.
Zoya Latif, 28, was walking with her three-year-old daughter when she was approached by a man wearing a hoodie.
He pulled the hijab from her face before throwing it at her.
Zoya is now too frightened to go out alone following the aggressive incident in Peterborough, Cambs., on Wednesday morning.
She said: “I can only think I was attacked because I was wearing a hijab. It is the only thing I can think of.
“I was very shocked and very scared. I have lived in Peterborough for 15 years, and nothing like this has happened before.
“I can’t believe it has happened. I won’t stop wearing the hijab, but I am very nervous about going out alone.”
Fortunately, neither Zoya or her daughter were seriously hurt in the assault but police have issued an e-fit of the suspect to try and help identify him.
Zoya said: “I had been to see family to mark Ramadan and was taking my three-year-old daughter home
“I saw a man on a hoodie on the road, but I didn’t think anything of it.
“My daughter pointed at a cat, and we were looking at it.
Then I felt a push, and I fell on my face. I grabbed my daughter really tight as I didn’t know what was happening.
“Then the man pulled my hijab off and threw it at me.”
Cambridgeshire police said they are treating the incident as a racially or religiously aggravated hate crime.
They suspect is described as white, tall, of medium build and wearing a black hooded top, which was pulled up.
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
