More threats against the Muslim community are being made as police officials have confirmed that someone threatened a University of Michigan student about her being set on fire if she did not remove her hijab. The woman reportedly complied and removed her hijab as she feared for her life.
Washington Post reported that the person who made the threat said that she student will be set on fire with a lighter. The incident took place at around 5:30 P.M. to 7 P.M. on Friday outside the campus in Ann Arbor. After the student complied and removed her hijab, she left the area.
Diane Brown, public information officer for the university's Division of Public Safety and Security, said in a statement that they are considering the incident as a hate crime. The Ann Arbor Police Department is now cooperating with other officials to investigate the matter.
The University of Michigan student who was wearing a hijab was not identified. She told officials that the person who made a threat against her is a white man in his 20s or 30s. He is said to be of average height and has an athletic built. He also was described as a man with an unkempt appearance. It is believed that the man appeared to be intoxicated when he made the threat.
Fusion reported that the head of Michigan's chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Dawud Walid, condemned the incident and said that the nation's leaders, particularly president-elect Donald Trump, must make a statement against the anti-Muslim incidents that have been taking place as of late after the presidential elections were concluded last week.
More on anti-Muslim attacks, a teacher in Georgia received a note in her classroom. The note says that she is no longer allowed to wear her hijab and that she should tie her religious item of clothing around her neck and use it to hang herself.
In Ohio, a Muslim woman, her children and her parents were threatened by a man while they were on their car. The man allegedly banged on the window of the car and said that they do not belong in the United States.
It is believed that more than 200 incidents of intimidation and harassment took place since Election Day. Many of these harassments are not only towards the Muslim community as Mexicans, African Americans, other immigrants and the LGBT community are also suffering from these threats.
