Veiled woman assaulted in Berlin, others racially abused

In yet another incident of anti-Muslim violence in Germany, a woman wearing a headscarf was physically attacked in the capital Berlin, local media reported Saturday.

According to the daily Der Tagesspiegel, a 37-year-old attacker tore off the 39-year-old victim’s head covering before hitting her head and upper body.

The attack took place at a restaurant in the Weissensee district, the daily added.

Another racist attack was also reported in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district earlier Friday where a 52-year-old man racially insulted two women.

The attacker was arrested and taken to a clinic for abnormal behavior before being released, the daily said.

Although Germany’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, Muslims, especially women wearing headscarves, often face discriminatory practices in education and the labor market.

The country has witnessed growing racism and Islamophobia in recent years, fueled by the propaganda of neo-Nazi groups and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Germany, a country of over 83 million people, has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France.