California cops investigate attack on Muslim woman at SDSU by men who made comments about Trump

Police in California are investigating an alleged hate crime against a woman wearing a headscarf by two men who reportedly made comments about her faith and Donald Trump's election win.

The woman was assaulted in the car park on San Diego State University's campus in the middle of the day on Wednesday (9 November), and had her car keys stolen, with her vehicle later reported missing to the authorities, who said they had targeted her because she was Muslim, ABC News reported.

Police said the woman was unhurt in the attack, which is being investigated by police as a hate crime, SDSU president Elliot Hirshman told the news service.

"We condemn this hateful act and urge all members of our community to join us in condemning such hateful acts," Hirshman said in a statement seen by the news service.

"Hate crimes are destructive to the spirit of our campus and we urge all members of our community to stand together in rejecting hate."

Students at the university took place in a demonstration on Thursday (10 November) protesting both the on-campus attack as well as the results of the US presidential election.

The students carried banners reading "I just want to feel safe" and "If you are neutral in situations of injustice you have chosen the side of the oppressor".

Demonstrations against the results of the presidential election have taken places in various cities across the country, many of which are on the west coast – where Clinton was particularly popular and Trump found little support.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)of San Diego and Imperial Counties has called on president elect Trump to condone Wednesday's attack.

It said in a statement: "The ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties is outraged to learn that a young Muslim woman was assaulted and robbed in San Diego yesterday afternoon. The report that her attackers also made comments about Donald Trump is especially troubling in light of Mr. Trump's frequent use of both anti-Muslim and misogynistic rhetoric while on the campaign trail.

"We condemn this rhetoric and this behaviour. We call on President-elect Trump to do the same. We call on all San Diegans, Californians, and Americans to reject all forms of anti-Muslim bigotry, and to challenge speech and actions that single others out based solely on their religion or heritage."

Police in the state were also reportedly investigating another attack at San Jose State University in Norther California, where a woman reported she had been approached by a man in a hooded top who came up behind her pulling at her scarf, which briefly choked her before the man fled.