Yasmin Seweid, 18, above, has been charged with filing a false report about an Islamophobic attack she claimed took place in New York at the beginning of December.
According to this report, Seweid, 18, she told cops she was abused on December 1 by three drunk men who screamed “Trump”, called her a terrorist and tried to snatch her hijab off her head while straphangers on a subway train did nothing.
But Seweid finally broke down Wednesday and was arrested after she admitted to detectives that it was all a big lie. A police source said:
Nothing happened, and there was no victim. She had numerous opportunities to admit nothing happened and she kept sticking by her story.
Police added that Seweid made up the story because she didn’t want to get in trouble for breaking a curfew imposed on her by her strict Muslim parents after being out late drinking with friends.
Her parents allegedly forced Seweid to shave her head over the incident and were upset that she was dating a Christian, sources said.
The bareheaded Baruch College student, not wearing her hijab, was arraignment early today in Manhattan Criminal Court. A relative covered Seweid’s face with a black down jacket as she was escorted into a waiting SUV following her brief court appearance.
The lying teen even posted an emotional account of the attack on Facebook.
I was harassed on the subway last night. And it was just so dehumanizing I can’t speak about it without getting emotional.
Police smelled a rat when they failed find witnesses or any significant video. Yesterday, after again being confronted with questions from detectives, she said she had made it all up, citing family problems.
She admitted that she lied to throw off her parents, who are Egyptian immigrants, because they disapproved of her boyfriend.
Seweid’s father, Syeed, 55, said he didn’t know why his daughter made up the story.
I have no idea. She’s the one that can speak for herself.
Albert Cahn, an attorney for the New York Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said the twist in Seweid’s case shouldn’t take away from “the legitimate” claims of bias and harassment against Muslims.
We’re very disturbed by these distressing developments, but we hope that they do not detract from the numerous reports coming from the Muslim community.
Clearly this has been a trying time for her and her family. We hope that they receive all possible support in this moving forward. We still believe that anti-Muslim attacks are under-reported.
Officials say there’s been a spike in the number of hate-inspired crimes in New York since Trump was elected President.
According to police statistics, reported hate crimes in the city more than doubled last month – with more than 43 cases, compared with just 20 in November 2015.
How many of these are genuine is anyone’s guess.
Hat tip: Trevor Blake.