Two arrested after Muslim woman attacked and hijab torn off

Martin Shipton

An unprovoked daylight attack on a young Muslim woman in Cardiff, in which she had her hijab torn off, has raised concerns about the increasing impact of far-right Islamophobic rhetoric.

In a powerful video posted on Instagram and other social media, the woman’s husband has expressed anguish at encroaching racism in the city and country he loves.

In the video, Ibby Abdi states: “Where do I start? Look at this video. It’s my wife. Attacked in broad daylight in Cardiff. I don’t normally come to Instagram talking about my personal life. I keep personal life private. Before this even happened, my wife was trying to de-escalate the situation because there was kids there.

“My wife was threatened to be killed, so she took a picture of the car. While she took the picture of the car, the lady didn’t like that, so she started running towards her with her hands high trying to punch her up. My wife was punched multiple times in the face. Then, to make matters even worse, a big man, a grown man, put his hands on a woman and ripped her hijab off – both of them while screaming: ‘Get her hijab off!’

“Is this Cardiff we live in? Or are we living like 100 years ago? I don’t understand. Are you mad? And this also is happening in front of their children.

“Let’s talk about the hijab. That’s not just a scarf. That’s her faith. That’s her religion. And that’s something she wears with pride. My wife is a revert [someone who converted to Islam]. She chose Islam. She chose to wear the hijab. And now she’s questioning whether the hijab puts a target on her back. That hurts me, because anyone who knows me knows how much I promote my own city. I carry the city everywhere I go. I talk about our culture. I talk about our communities, I talk about our diversity. I’m very proud to be Welsh. I’m very proud to be from Cardiff. But how am I supposed to feel now? I’m promoting my city to the world, but my own wife doesn’t feel safe to walk in these streets.

“There was witnesses that helped. Genuinely, thank you. Witnesses that never helped – to you guys, see a woman being beaten in broad daylight and not stepping in, you need to get checked out. The police came and they said all they’re going to do is send a letter to find the registered owner of the car. I don’t think that’s enough. That’s a hate crime. You should be at that person’s door immediately. regardless. What I’m saying is, if that was a kid from Butetown, Splott, Tremorfa, Ely [working class districts of Cardiff], he would be in cells by now. I’m not asking anyone to threaten or abuse or harass these individuals involved, or take the matters into their own hands.

“My wife was jumped. If this was a kid in Butetown that done this, or a kid from Splott or Tremorfa or wherever, do you think they’d be sending them just a letter? Come on – they’d be in cells right now, be in police cells right now.

“I want accountability and I want this to be taken seriously. My wife should be able to be walking in Cardiff without thinking her faith puts a target on her back. This is not the Cardiff I promote. Please reshare. Please repost. I want this spread far and wide because me personally, I ain’t having it.”

“Ger her Hijab off!”

A Muslim woman was repeatedly punched in the face and her Hijab ripped off in Cardiff, Wales.

“Today my wife was attacked in broad daylight in Cardiff. Before the attack, they followed her and chased her in their car, shouting abuse at her from the car.… pic.twitter.com/uRNdrGl9FV

— DOAM (@doamuslims) August 14, 2026

Professor Eid Ali Ahmed, who lives in Grangetown himself and is an adviser to the Somaliland government, said: “I am sorry to say that incidents of this kind are increasing. Women wearing the hijab are being shouted at in the street by racists, and in more serious incidents physically assaulted.

“This didn’t use to happen in Cardiff, which has a long tradition of tolerance between the various communities, and of people from what were British colonies fighting in two World Wars alongside British troops. I am afraid that recently the Islamophobic rhetoric adopted by some politicians representing Reform UK and other far right parties is having an impact and emboldening some people to behave in this way.”

Punished

Ali Abdi, another prominent member of the Cardiff Somaliland community, said: “It’s crucial that incidents of this kind are taken very seriously by the authorities and that those who break the law are severely punished.

“At first South Wales Police weren’t taking this incident seriously enough. Together with a number of other organisations and individuals, we contacted the force to register our concern. I’m pleased that they then took the appropriate action.

“Eid is quite right to blame an increase in such incidents on parties like Reform, whose frequent Islamophobic attacks are designed to appeal to racists and win votes.”

Hate crime

A statement issued by South Wales Police on Friday said: “Two people have been arrested in connection with a hate crime incident in Grangetown, Cardiff.

“At around 1pm yesterday (Thursday, August 13) South Wales Police received a report of a 25-year-old woman being assaulted in Dunleavy Drive.

“A 39-year-old man from Grangetown and a 44-year-old woman from Ely have been arrested on suspicion of racially / religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

“They remain in police custody and an investigation is ongoing.”

The statement asks any witnesses to contact South Wales Police quoting 2600264101. It concludes: “A hate crime is any crime motivated by hostility on the grounds of race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or transgender identity.

“Hate crime has no place in society and has always been a priority for South Wales Police.

“We encourage people, whether they are a victim or a witness of hate crime, to report it directly to South Wales Police without fear.”

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