Article content

Rida grabbed a coffee at Lower Place Riel, having just stepped off the bus on her way to class at the University of Saskatchewan. She was about to have an encounter that changed her view of her safety on campus and her level of comfort with talking to others about being Muslim.

She went to find a lid at the coffee station by the store’s entrance when a man twice her small stature approached her in a way she found threatening.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 'These words just kept on repeating in my head': U of S student speaks out after being harassed about wearing a hijab Back to video

You don’t have to wear “that thing” around your head anymore, he told her, referencing her hijab.

“I’m a bit confused and shaken, about what he said to me. And he takes a pause and continues on,” she said, not wanting to use her last name out of concern for her safety.

She remembers the smirk on his face and the mocking tone of his voice.

“He continues by saying ‘men shouldn’t force you to wear that thing around your head,’ ” she recalls.

Rida said she told the it was her choice to wear a hijab. He kept moving closer to her as he spoke. As she went to leave, his tone became more threatening, and he asked if she would be disowned if she removed it.