A Muslim woman has alleged that she was racially abused and had a beer bottle and rocks thrown at her after she replied to a “Merry Christmas” greeting with “Happy holidays” outside a shopping centre late last year.

Hulya Kandemir, 35, this morning told a court how she was leaving a shopping centre in Beeliar last December when she came across carpenter Adam Peters, who was sitting outside drinking a beer with his children.

The court was told after Mr Peters urged one of his daughters to wish her “Merry Christmas”, she replied with “Happy holidays” to which Mr Peters replied “Nah, Merry Christmas” — followed by a volley of racial abuse.

She told magistrate Peter Malone that Mr Peters called her a “f---ing Muslim c--t” before a scuffle ensued in which her headscarf ended up on the floor, and a beer bottle was thrown at her before smashing on the ground.

Camera Icon Hulya Kandemir told the court Mr Peters called her a “f---ing Muslim c--t” before a scuffle ensued in which her headscarf ended up on the floor. Credit: The West Australian

Mr Peters allegedly then threw rocks at her as he walked away.

After Ms Kandmir reported the incident to the Islamophobia Register Australia, and police, Mr Peters was charged with aggravated assault, which he denied.

In his evidence this morning, Mr Peters said he had not mentioned her religion specifically, and was shocked by her angry reaction.

And he said while he did insist the greeting was “Merry Christmas” during the exchange, it was Ms Kandemir’s angry reaction — which included hitting him in the head with a shopping bag — that had sparked the ugly incident.

In angry exchanges in court with Mr Peter’s lawyer, Ms Kandemir said she was regularly racially abused in Perth, labelling the alleged assault a “hate crime” and Mr Peters as “white, bogan trash”.

A witness to the incident told the court that she heard Mr Peters say that he would kill Ms Kandemir then next time he saw her.

The trial continues.