Swedish men and women post photos online in solidarity
with woman who was attacked apparently for wearing
headscarf.
Scores of Swedish women from various faiths have
posted pictures of themselves wearing hijab , or
traditional Muslim headscarves, in solidarity with a
woman attacked in a Stockholm suburb , apparently for
wearing one.
Police spokesman Ulf Hoffman said an unknown
assailant had attacked the pregnant woman in the
suburb of Farsta on Friday by banging her head
against a car .
Hoffman said the man shouted slurs which have led
police to believe the attack was motivated by the
woman ' s religion .
Using hashtag # hijabuppropet (hijab outcry) women
posted their photos in headscarves on the social
networking sites Twitter and Instagram .
Swedish television host Gina Dirawi and politician
Veronica Palm are some of the notable figures who
expressed solidarity with # hijabuppropet .
Green Party leader , Asa Romson , went as far as to
change her Twitter profile picture , in support of the
campaign.
“ Risk of being beaten and discriminated against for how
they choose to dress, everyday life for many women in
Sweden 2013” Romson said on her twitter account .
Personal safety
Some men also supported the campaign posting photos
in which they covered their heads .
Joel Almorth tweeted : " Yes wear veils today to show
solidarity for all women, are put up with harassment and
attacks!"
In an opinion piece published in the
Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet, on Sunday, the
organisers of the ' hijabuppropet ' urged Justice Minister
Beatrice Ask to take measures to " ensure that Swedish
Muslim women are guaranteed the right to personal
safety and religious freedom, without being subject to
verbal and physical attacks " .
" In addition , we demand that responsible politicians
actively draw attention to and fight the structural
discrimination that affects Muslim women .
" We believe that' s reason enough in a country where the
number of reported hate crimes against Muslims is on
the rise – and where women tie their headscarves extra
tight so that it won ' t get ripped off – for the prime
minister and other politicians to take action to stop the
march of fascism , " the authors wrote.
The Justice Minister has also agree to meet with the
organisers of the campaign on Tuesday.
" This must be taken very seriously, " Minister Ask told
TT news agency.

TV host Gina Dirawi (L) and Green Party MP Åsa
Romson (R) joined the hijab outcry.

Good gesture