UK: Police investigate targeting of Muslim women in London hijab-pulling assaults

A disturbing video showing a suspect pulling the hijabs of Muslim women in the British capital London in unprovoked attacks has gone viral this week prompting police to investigate.

The clips showed Muslim women getting their hijabs, or headscarves, pulled off from behind by an unseen suspect recording themselves carrying out the assault.

The attacks took place in the city's prestigious and affluent Kensington district, often visited by tourists and families due to housing London's iconic landmarks, including Kensington Palace, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Science Museum.

Online reports suggested that the videos were being circulated by Iranian opposition activists who were reportedly targeting people walking out of the Iranian embassy in London, located in South Kensington.

The Metropolitan Police Service, which polices London, told The New Arab it was speaking to victims of the assault and seeking witnesses of the reported incident as it had not yet made any arrests.

"There is no place for this sort of behaviour in London," the statement said. "We are in contact with one of the victims and an investigation is underway to establish the full circumstances and deal with any offences."

It added: "Anyone who has witnessed an incident of this type is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC, reference CAD 3273/29Jun."

The New Arab has contacted the Iranian embassy in London for comment.

The attacks occurred during a period of heightened tensions for Iranian nationals, as millions went to the polls in Iran and abroad on Friday to vote in presidential elections widely regarded as a 'sham,' while large-scale protests calling for regime change took place across Europe.

Iran has witnessed mass protests in recent years in response to increasingly ultraconservative policies and harsh crackdowns on liberal dissent, particularly following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in custody after being arrested by Iran's morality police for allegedly wearing her headscarf improperly.