Antwerp Assault: Man Attacks Veiled Woman, Sparks Violent Retaliation

6 June 2025 – bySylvanus@Bladi · 1 min read

In Antwerp, a 62-year-old man assaulted a 20-year-old woman in the middle of the street, violently tearing off her veil and slightly injuring her. Wanting to avenge his sister, the victim’s brother, accompanied by two men, shows up at the attacker’s home and confronts him. They end up in the hospital.

An Islamophobic act in Antwerp? "A 20-year-old woman was assaulted on Monday on a pedestrian crossing on Bredabaan, in the Antwerp district of Merksem," a police spokesperson reported. "The individual criticized her headscarf and violently grabbed it, slightly injuring the young woman."

About an hour after the assault, Kaoutar’s brother, the victim, a 22-year-old man, along with two other men, arrived at the attacker’s home. An argument quickly broke out. Subsequently, the brother stabbed the 62-year-old man. Injured, both men were admitted to the hospital. Afterwards, the sexagenarian, the 22-year-old man, and one of his accomplices were brought before an investigating judge.

"My brother didn’t want to cause harm. He reacted out of emotion. However, I know that this shouldn’t have happened," Kaoutar told Het Laatste Nieuws.

Category: Morocco

Keywords:

Belgium Violence and assaults Islamic veil