Sydney schoolboy bashed for being Muslim

GlobalPost
The World

A Sydney schoolboy who was brutally bashed unconscious by more than 20 students and left with internal bleeding claims it was because he is Muslim.

Hamid Mamozai, 15, was allegedly hit up to a dozen times by two fellow students at Asquith Boys' High School in Sydney's north on Wednesday as several other students cheered and shouted racial abuse as they watched, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

''[They were saying] hit him more, hit him more, he deserves it, you terrorists, go back to where you came from, go blow something up,'' Hamid told Channel 10.

His mother broke down as she spoke about what it felt like to see her son so badly hurt.

"It's so hard," Hosni Mam

SMH reports:

He said he was kneed in the face four of five times and hit up to 15 times in the face.

Hamid was taken to hospital unconscious and with internal bleeding but suffered no serious injuries.

Najia, Hamid's sister, said he had been subjected to racial abuse at the school for up to two years and was ''emotionally and mentally sick'' because of it.

''The boy is scared … he doesn't get out of the house,'' she said.

His mother, Hosna, who fled war-torn Afghanistan 20 years ago, said she had repeatedly complained to the school to no effect.

''I just want to know why this is happening, why the principal doesn't care that students are being bullied, why don't they stop it? I want other parents to know why this is happening,'' she said.

Asquith Boys' High had not commented when SMH ran the story.

The state Department of Education said one student had been suspended for 20 days as a result and the incident reported to police.

Hamid and his family have been offered counseling and the school has arranged to meet with Mrs Mamozai this morning.

''Racism is not tolerated by Asquith Boys' High School, which disciplines students engaged in such behavior and supports students subjected to it,'' the spokesman said.

''Disciplinary action has been taken against students who have previously used racist language to the injured student. Due to the police investigation, it is inappropriate to comment further on the incident at this stage.''


 

Sign up for our daily newsletter

Sign up for The Top of the World, delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.