A New Jersey mom of two teenage Muslim girls is expressing outrage after a woman was charged with bias intimidation for allegedly yelling at her daughters and hitting one at a nail salon in Clifton, which is located approximately 10 miles outside the city of Newark.
Fadwa, who did not want her last name used for fear of retaliation, told NBC Asian America that it is a nightmare for them. She has been here in this country for many years and then something like this happens to her daughters. Fadwa added that it makes her ask the question "what is going on?"
According to Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi, Nancy Jones allegedly approached the 15-year-old and 13-year-old girls in a nail salon, yelling profanities at them and telling them to go back to their country before striking the younger girl in the head on April 30. Both victims were wearing hijabs at the time of the incident.
Nancy Jones shouted at the two Muslim girls for staring at her
The two girls told their mother that the 59-year-old Jones shouted at them for staring at her. According to Fadwa, Jones also yelled at another Muslim woman in the salon, thinking that she was the two girls' mother.
Fadwa, who has lived in the United States for over 25 years, said that her daughters were waiting to get their nails done at the salon for Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.
Fadwa said she called her daughter to see if they were both done with their nails. She immediately answered the call, while crying, telling her mother "Please come and pick us up."
Fadwa said that when she returned to the nail salon, she confronted Jones in the parking lot. Jones would not step her verbal attacks on the family, with Fadwa saying that Jones was yelling profanities at her in the parking lot before driving off. She spoke with other patrons at the salon to find out more about Jones' actions towards her daughters. They said that the incident was unprovoked.
Jones was identified as the assailant in the nail salon attack and a warrant was issued for her arrest. According to the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, Jones turned herself into Clifton police on May 25.
Charges filed against Jones for nail salon outburst
Jones has been charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, third degree, as well as bias intimidation, fourth degree. She has also been charged with simple assault, a disorderly persons offense and two counts of harassment, petty disorderly persons offenses.
Selaedin Maksut, the executive director of the New Jersey Council on American-Islamic Relations, who is working closely with the family of Fadwa, condemned the attack on the teen girls.
Maksut issued a statement, saying "We are deeply troubled by this alleged bias-motivated behavior. Physically and verbally attacking two young girls to the point of tears is appalling. We welcome the ongoing police investigation by Clifton officers and hope the matter is taken seriously and justice is done."
