Arabic version: الشرطة تحقق في إساءة مزعومة بحق فتاة مسلمة على حافلة في سيدني

According to ABC News, NSW Police are continuing inquiries after video footage showed a 13-year-old Muslim schoolgirl being verbally abused while travelling home from school on a Sydney bus last week. Janna, who was wearing a hijab and school uniform, said the comments made her feel “really … disgusting”.

Footage seen by ABC News captured a man directing racist and anti-Muslim slurs at Janna, including calling her an “immigrant dog” and “a f***ing terrorist”. In another video, he appeared to direct a threat at Muslim women on the bus. Janna said she had told the man she was born in Australia and had never left the country.

Janna said the abuse began after she noticed the man taking photographs of another young girl wearing a hijab and warned her. A witness recorded the confrontation and posted it on social media, where the video received thousands of shares. Janna and her mother, Roula, later made a report to police.

NSW Police acting deputy commissioner Peter McKenna described the alleged conduct as “disgusting” and said police would investigate. Transport for NSW called the behaviour shown in the video “deplorable” and said everyone should be able to travel safely on public transport. The agency said the bus driver was not aware of the incident when it occurred.

The Islamophobia Register Australia recorded the case and said reported anti-Muslim incidents had risen 612 per cent since October 2023, according to its research. Its executive director, Aishah Ali, said women and children were increasingly targeted and that bystander intervention was important. Roula said she was proud of her daughter for standing up for the other girl, while expressing horror that there had been little support from others on the bus.