Muslim student in UK attacked for wishing man 鈥榤erry Christmas鈥�

Police were called to the attack outside the Happy Wanderer pub in Durham on Christmas Eve. (Reuters)

DURHAM: Two Muslim postgraduate students of Arab origin were viciously attacked on Christmas Eve after wishing a man a 鈥渕erry Christmas,鈥� according to UK media.
Ihsan Abualrob was punched in the face and his body kicked whilst he lay on the ground by a group of men in Durham.
Police confirmed that two men have been arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated assault in connection with the attack that took place, reports said.
Ihsan Abualrob and his friend Sherif MohyEldeen, who are studying at Durham University, were 鈥渉arassed, insulted and physically assaulted鈥� by a group of men, according to MohyEldeen鈥檚 Facebook page.




Ihsan Abualrob鈥檚 injured knee. (Facebook)



The attack happened after the two students visited their local pub to play pool and it transpired that the students were from Egypt and Palestine.
Abualrob told the Northern Echo: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 drink and were sitting there chatting when out of the blue a British guy approached us, pulled up a chair uninvited and asked where we were from.
MohyEldeen said that the man asked them where they were from and exclaimed 鈥淓gypt, Palestine. So, you are all Muslims鈥� Are you suicide bombers?鈥� in response to their reply.
The students were attacked after they left the pub by the man and his friends.
Abualrob said that 鈥渢hey started insulting my religion鈥� and that he wished them a 鈥渕erry Christmas鈥� in response to their insults.
He told the Northern Echo: 鈥淲e started crossing the street and they followed us. One of them threw an empty glass toward us. Then one of them lunged at me and punched me on my left check and I fell to the ground. Then three of them started kicking me in the head, shoulders and body. I grabbed my head in my arms trying to protect my face鈥�.
MohyEldeen described the attack as like 鈥渓iving my worst nightmare鈥� and Abualrob said that 鈥淐hristmas should be a time of love and hope, not violence.鈥�
A spokesman for Durham Police said that 鈥淎 49-year-old man and a 23-year-old have been arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated assault with injury.鈥�