Women wearing hijabs were among dozens physically assaulted or verbally harassed while attending Iran’s World Cup matches in California earlier this month, a civil rights group has said.
“According to eyewitnesses, scores of agitators appeared to target individuals perceived to be of Iranian origin, attendees holding Iranian or Palestinian flags, and women wearing hijabs,” CAIR-LA said in a statement.
“Attendees reported being spat on, kicked, punched, and pushed to the ground, and women had their hijabs ripped off,” the group added. “Several individuals were further harassed online, reportedly having their personal identifying information – including their phone numbers, home addresses, and places of employment – publicly released.”
I think sports can be a good uniting event when their is mutual respect and enjoyment of the game. Having said that, it seems to be a magnet for men that are weak and pathetic in every other aspect of their life and seem to channel all of that alienation into feeling like they are powerful when the team wearing the same colors as them wins. They seem to get most of their satisfaction by not the unity part, but the hatred for “others” part.
I’m sure this is not analogous at all to real life and xenophobia. Not at all I’m sure. /s