Some of these incidents have carried out by pro-monarchist Iranians in LA [Getty/file photo]
A wave of anti-Muslim attacks targeting hijab-wearing women has been reported in the Los Angeles area during Iran’s World Cup campaign, with civil rights advocates calling for an urgent investigation into assaults, harassment and intimidation directed at spectators.
Dozens of women have allegedly been targeted following Iran’s matches against New Zealand and Belgium at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, according to the Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA).
Witnesses cited by the organisation described incidents in which hijab-wearing women were spat at, punched, kicked and verbally abused, while some reportedly had their headscarves forcibly removed.
Women carrying Iranian and Palestinian flags were also among those targeted, according to witness accounts collected by CAIR-LA.
The organisation further said some victims had been subjected to online harassment, including the publication of personal information such as home addresses, telephone numbers and places of employment.
In a statement on Wednesday, CAIR-LA urged the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, the Inglewood Police Department and the LA World Cup Host Committee to investigate the attacks and take immediate measures to protect attendees.
“Fans being targeted by verbal harassment and physical violence simply because they are Iranian, carrying national flags, or wearing the hijab is deplorable,” CAIR-LA said.
“The World Cup is meant to be a celebration of international unity. Attacks on individuals based on their national origin, religion, ethnicity, or political expression are morally reprehensible and not in the spirit of the global sportsmanship these games are meant to promote,” it said.
The organisation added that “the perpetrators must be held accountable, and the safety of all fans must be guaranteed”, calling on FIFA, the LA World Cup Host Committee and law enforcement authorities to ensure that “no further hate-based violence occurs during future matches”.
CAIR-LA said the incidents reflected a broader pattern of hostility directed at visibly Muslim women and supporters of Iran during the tournament, warning that political disagreements should not result in harassment or violence against spectators attending World Cup matches.
One incident that circulated widely online appeared to show an Iranian-American Pahlav supporter confronting a middle-aged woman wearing a hijab and carrying an Iranian flag following Iran’s match against New Zealand on 16 June.
One incident that circulated widely online appeared to show a pro-Pahlavi Iranian-American woman confronting a middle-aged woman wearing a hijab and carrying an Iranian flag following Iran’s match against New Zealand on 16 June.
The footage shows the hijabi woman being called a “terrorist” and “shameful” while being filmed.
The activist later defended her actions on social media, alleging that the woman had supported the Iranian government, and shared what she claimed was the woman’s LinkedIn profile alongside a petition calling for US authorities to review her immigration status.
The incidents come amid heightened tensions within sections of Los Angeles’ Iranian community following anti-government protests in Iran and the subsequent US-Israeli war on Iran.
Those divisions have spilled into the World Cup, where some pro-monarchist activists have openly opposed Iran’s participation in the tournament, booed members of the national team and staged demonstrations around team events.
Some have also brought the Sun and Lion flag to stadiums, despite a strict FIFA ruling barring the flag due to its political connotations.
