A Palestinian woman said she was assaulted while taking a late morning stroll with her baby daughter and friend by a man who accused her of being a terrorist. We thought someone would've been publicly attacked and berated for secretly planning the Boston Marathon bombings within hours of the explosions, but nope — racists managed to contain themselves for two days. Bravo.


Memo to the New York Post and other media outlets that told us to look out for "dark-skinned" suspects: baseless and racist claims prompt action, not just pageviews.

Heba Abolaban told Malden Patch that she and her friend, both wearing hijabs, were walking with their kids when a white male in his thirties punched her left shoulder and began shouting at them:

“He was screaming 'F___ you Muslims! You are terrorists! I hate you! You are involved in the Boston explosions! F___ you!'” Abolaban remembered. “Oh my lord, I was extremely shocked.”


Abolaban, a doctor who just completed an observership at Mass General Hospital, said the incident "saddened me a lot."

“I really do love the beautiful diversity of Boston (and its) people,” she said.

Mayor Gary Christenson called Abolaban after she filed a police report and also gave a statement to Malden Patch: “I am simply outraged that such an act has occurred in Malden, a community that takes pride in its diversity and embraces people of all cultures and backgrounds...I have assured Heba and her family that Malden does not tolerate this type of behavior and that the acts of one despicable individual will not stop our community from moving forward together.”

[Malden Patch]