UPDATE: A Fawkner woman charged following an allegedly unprovoked attack on a Muslim woman on an Upfield train has been remanded in custody until later this month.
Madeline Luke last Thursday morning fronted chief magistrate Peter Lauristen, who adjourned the matter for a mention on October 23.
Victoria Police said the 26-year-old victim was travelling on an outbound train when a “Caucasian” woman began verbally abusing her because of her race.
They said the alleged offender grabbed the victim’s head and banged it against the side of the train before pushing her off the train when it pulled into Batman station.
After assessing closed-circuit footage, detectives came to believe Madeline Luke was the offender. She was charged with two counts of intent to cause injury, two counts of unlawful assault, and using insulting words in a public place.
In a separate incident, a 24-year-old Brunswick law student has told Star Weekly she saw three elderly Muslim women being verbally attacked on a South Morang line train on the same day of the Upfield line attack.
Dana Afflect said she saw a man screaming, threatening and banging on a window after seeing three Muslim women wearing hijabs, which leave the face uncovered.
The three women and Ms Afflect got off the train at North Richmond station.
Ms Afflect said that when she called East Melbourne police station to report the incident, she was told nothing could be done unless the victims came forward.
Senior academic and community ambassador Nasya Bahfen said wearing the hijab had presented her with few problems, yet after recent Australian Federal Police raids she had received more stares than normal.
In a separate incident, a 24-year-old Brunswick law student has told Star Weekly“It can be quite frightening, especially hearing about the attacks some Muslim women have faced,” she said.
