A Muslim woman wearing the hijab was spat at and racially abused during a business trip to London, the Manchester Evening News reports.
Nahella Ashraf, 46, from Manchester, had been attending after a conference in London on Friday 6 January when she was attacked by a racist thug.
Police are now investigating the attack and the incident prompted anti-racism campaigners to hold a protest in the capital city.
Nahella told the Manchester Evening News she was taking a lunch break at a nearby fish and chip shop when she was approached by a stranger.
The man grabbed her by the arm and tried to throw her out, telling her she “shouldn’t be here”.
One of her friends tried to push the man out the way along with a staff-worker, asking the man what his problem was.
Referring to Islam, he replied: “People like her, they kill.”
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As the staff member began escorting the man out, he spat on Nahella’s face.
He then left and staff at the takeaway phoned the police.
Nahella who was horrified over what happened, said: “I was totally shocked, it all seemed to happen so quickly. I have never had this before.
“It really shook me up. The staff were really nice, they said he had issues.
“I’m really surprised this has happened in London, especially in Hammersmith where it’s so multicultural. It just goes to show how serious this situation is. I needed to say something.”
Nahella, who is a member of anti-racist campaign group “Stand Up To Racism” contacted the local branch in London to tell them what happened to her.
The group organised a vigil last Wednesday, as a protest against the way she had been treated. She said: “It was really good, about 40 or 50 people went.
“I have been campaigning for a while on the issue, but this is the first time I have been a victim of Islamophobic abuse myself. It is so shocking, but makes you aware of what people go through.”
A Met Police spokesman said: “Police were called to an address in King Street, Hammersmith, at 9.30pm on Friday, January 6, to reports that a woman had been assaulted by an unknown man.
“The suspect approached the victim, who was aged in her 40s and wearing a hijab, making Islamophobic comments. He then assaulted her by spitting at her face.
“Officers attended but the suspect had already fled the scene, in the direction of Hammersmith Tube Station.
“The victim did not require medical treatment. The assault is being treated by police as racially motivated hate crime.”
No arrests have been made and enquiries are still ongoing.
Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to contact them by calling 101.
