July 3,2025
RED FM News Desk
Oshawa, Ontario-Durham police are investigating a violent group assault at a fast-food restaurant in Oshawa, Ontario, which a Muslim advocacy group says may have been motivated by hate, after the victim’s hijab was forcibly removed during the attack.
In a news release on Thursday, police said they responded to a call around 12:30 a.m. on July 2 at a restaurant near Cedar Street and Wentworth Street West. A group of young individuals had reportedly been causing a disturbance, and one person jumped behind the counter to steal an item. When the restaurant owner intervened, a violent altercation broke out.
Police say multiple individuals then jumped behind the counter, swarmed the victim, and assaulted her.
On Wednesday, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) shared blurred surveillance footage of the incident, expressing outrage over the attack. According to the NCCM, the victim’s hijab was pulled off and she was stomped on, including on the head. They confirmed that the victim is the owner of the restaurant.
The group is urging police to fully investigate the attack as a potential hate crime.
Durham police confirmed they are aware of the video and that all possible motives — including hate — are being considered. The hate crime unit is involved in the investigation, though police noted that video footage is just one part of the overall evidence.
The extent of the victim’s injuries has not been disclosed, and no suspect descriptions have been released.
On Thursday, the victim’s daughter, whose name was not made public, said her mother was “deeply shaken” by the attack.
“Did it really take nearly a dozen people violently beating my mother, ripping off her hijab, tearing out her hair, and stomping on her back and neck for us to admit this environment has become unsafe for us?” she said in an emotional statement.
She also noted a recent rise in Islamophobic behavior from some restaurant customers.
Fatema Abdalla, spokesperson for the NCCM, said the Durham Region has seen a disturbing increase in anti-Muslim incidents, referencing a March case where someone tried to set a woman’s hijab on fire in an Ajax library. She called on all levels of government to take stronger action against Islamophobia.
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