Syrian teen hospitalized after racist assault in US
Attacker tells victim she would have insulted her in Arabic if she knew the language
A Syrian teenager was hospitalized after facing a racist attack at her high school last week.
Seyma, 15, who wears a headscarf, was punched by another student at the toilet of Chartiers Valley High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Friday, said a Turkish national who asked not to be named.
She fainted following the assault and had to be rushed to a hospital.
Her attacker was part of a group smoking an e-cigarette in the toilet. They bullied Seyma into leaving the premises; when she refused they shoved her to the ground and punched her.
She told Seyma that she would have insulted her in Arabic if she could speak the language.
The violent incident was recorded by other students on their phones and posted on social media.
The video garnered online support seeking justice for the victim.
Also, a petition was filed and it is expected that the case will be taken to the federal prosecution office.
Seyma was discharged from the hospital on late Sunday while her attacker has been suspended from school for three days.
Her family escaped from the Syrian civil war in mid-2016 to settle in Pittsburgh.
