A 38 year old man is being charged with attempted murder after shouting “I’m going to kill a Muslim!” before boarding a train in London and stabbing a Muslim passenger in the head and torso. The victim of this hate crime sustained a punctured lung, punctured abdomen, and a wound to his head, but miraculously survived the savage attack. He is now in the hospital in serious, but stable condition, while the knifeman is in custody.
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The stabbing took place as the train was pulling into Forest Hill station, and the surrounding community has been reeling from the disturbing news. To combat this evil, several Muslim women from the area gathered at Forest Hill station to hand out roses to commuters, spreading beauty in the midst of hate.
Twitter user Iysha tweeted that she and some friends planned to distribute roses at the station where the stabbing had taken place.
In response to the Forest Hill stabbing a few friends and I will be distributing roses tomorrow at #ForestHillStation …
– Iysha (@iyshaarun) December 13, 2016
“Despite unfortunate events, we are determined to stay strong as a community!” she tweeted. Since posting the tweet, Iysha has received hateful and even threatening feedback online. Many people mocked Iyesha for her beliefs and even for the gesture, but the steadfast group of women showed up anyway with roses and a sign reading, “I am a Muslim. Here is a rose. Love, don’t hate!”
Lovely women at Forest Hill Station offering roses to all, beautiful gesture of community healing and love â¤ï¸ #SE23 pic.twitter.com/VIa0q85HZ4 – rhona (@RhonaPool) December 14, 2016
Roses are a symbol of beauty, love, and gift-giving. In the face of hatred, the only way these women know how to heal is to display these qualities, even to strangers.
Making Forest Hill and the world beautiful again, thank you to these wonderful girls this morning #foresthill #roses pic.twitter.com/n4jKSB5MQV
– Daniel Mason (@DanielMason1989) December 14, 2016
Strangers were touched by the love these women displayed that day, moved by the example they set of peacemaking and generosity during a time of disunity.
Twitter
Moved by the lovely Muslim women handing out roses at Forest Hill station. A beautiful gesture in the light of Monday’s events. #se23 #unity – Erica (@Erica_P_) December 14, 2016
For more like this, check out this story of strangers of all different backgrounds coming together on the subway for a man his way to a job interview and this story of an Israeli couple singing “One Day.”
Share this powerful gesture today.
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