Customers and employees alike came to the defense of a Muslim woman who found herself being verbally harassed by a white woman at a grocery store in Santa Monica, California.
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@zardanainjali shared a video of the encounter to TikTok, noting that the woman originally tried to cut in front of her in line by putting her items down on the conveyor belt ahead of hers. Zardana asked her to step back because she was getting too close to her son, what with us still being in the midst of a pandemic and all, and at some point along the way, the woman lost it.
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She’s already locked in an argument with Zardana, the cashier, and another customer off-screen when the footage starts and makes several disparaging remarks about Zardana’s hijab right off the bat. The woman also accuses Zardana of racism, which is quickly shut down by the others present, who say the white woman actually told Zardana to go back to “her country.”
“She asked you to stay away from her son, that’s all she said,” someone off-camera says.
The disgruntled customer doesn’t budge, telling all three women involved: “You’re just being f—king crazy.”
At that point, a Black woman comes up behind her to scope on the situation and jumps right in, telling the white woman “don’t talk to her like that.”
“I’m not doing anything wrong here! She’s just a f—king Middle Easterner who thinks she’s f—king privileged!” the white woman shouts.
The video eventually cuts to a scene involving even more people — more customers, more employees, all having gotten involved in the situation, with most of them defending Zardana from this white woman’s inexplicable rage, including a supervisor, who asked the woman to leave.
“All of these people came to my rescue they stood up to her and this moment proved to me that humanity is great,” Zardana wrote over the video. “I got extremely emotional because it reminded me of the last times I was verbally attacked by racists, but for this to happen right in front of my son broke me.”
Viewers were horrified by Zardana’s experience, but glad to see that people actually stepped up to help her so she didn’t have to juggle the weight of what was happening all on her own.
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“I’m so glad people just weren’t watching and they stepped in we don’t tolerate that and you’re just a momma looking after your son,” wrote @aquariushaus.
Another user agreed: “I love how everyone came to defend her,” @baeshar825 said. “So many times people ignore it and leave hijabis to fend for themselves.”
Zardana has noted her main concern following the altercation is how it may have affected her young son, as she says his behavior has been different in the days following.
“What people don’t realize as well, is that this kind of trauma isn’t something you just get over in an hour,” another TikToker commented on the video. “Racial trauma lasts!”
*First Published: July 28, 2021, 7:37 am
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