CHARGED

New Jersey Teen Charged With Assault After Allegedly Pulling Hijab Off Student

The argument between two East Brunswick High School students started over a seat in a common area.

 A New Jersey high-school student has been charged with simple assault after she allegedly pulled off the hijab worn by a fellow student in an altercation caught on video, police said. The female student, who has not been publicly identified, has been charged with simple assault, harassment, cyber harassment, and disorderly conduct, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office said in a Thursday press release. The disagreement began Wednesday over a seat in the common area of the school, according to a letter sent Thursday by East Brunswick Superintendent of Schools Victor Valeski, and quickly escalated into a “physical altercation.” One of the students involved was wearing a hijab, which was was pulled off during the attack, the superintendent said.

In a video posted on Twitter, one female student appears to be punching a girl on the floor while a staff member attempts to pull them apart. “The district does not tolerate any incidents of bias, discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying and takes swift action if such an event occurs,” the letter states. “I want to assure the East Brunswick Community that we have been, and will continue to be, deeply committed to promoting and maintaining a safe environment for all of our students and staff.”