NORTH DAKOTA – An American woman has hurled racist abuse at three Somali-American Muslim women who were inside their car, in a parking dispute in Fargo, North Dakota, telling them she wanted to “kill all Muslims”.
“Go home, go home,” Amber Hensley told the three Muslim women, The Independent reported on Thursday, July 27.
“We’re going to kill every one of you f****** Muslims. Why are you in our country? I’m an American, you’re not.”
The encounter started when Hensley shouted at Rowda Soyan, Sarah Hassan and Laleyla Hassan in the car park of a Walmart in Fargo, North Dakota, as she believed they had parked too close to her car.
Hassan recorded a video of Hensley delivering an angry tirade, which was sent to the police and circulated widely on social media.
When Hassan warned she was going to report the incident to the police, Hensley said “Do you think the police care?”
Hensley said she was “terribly sorry” for threatening the women in an interview with KVVR but explained when she had become angry.
“She had parked way too close to my car and I couldn’t get in, when I asked her to move she refused,” she claimed.
Her version of the story was refuted by Hassan, claiming Hensley initiated the insults.
The incident, shared on social media, drew many condemnations for Hensley’s behavior.
“I’m sorry you ladies had to put up with this ignorant lady. This is not ok. Everyone deserves love n kindness,” one wrote on Facebook.
“Racism is alive EVERYWHERE ppl. you choose how to react or not react to it!!” another added.
Others decided to react with a community rally against hate, organized next August 2 under the title, Community Rally Against Hate/Bias Crime.
“In the last few months, the Fargo/Moorhead area has seen a series of hate crime and bias speech directed at New Americans. These incidents have occurred as these New Americans, mostly of Somalian descent, have gone about their daily lives,” the event page on Facebook read.
“One woman shopping at the grocery store was followed and harassed and told to remove her hijab. One young man was moving into a new apartment with the help of two friends, was name-called, viciously attacked and beaten to the extent that he required an ambulance ride to the emergency room.
“North Dakota United Against Hate invites you to attend this important community event to show support for recent victims and to insure that no one is singled out because of their religion.”