January 31, 2002	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 16, 1422

TORONTO, Jan 30: The ugly bruises under her eyes still bear witness to what Fatema Hussain says was an unprovoked beating on a city bus, one she says only provoked laughter among other passengers, according to a story published in a local newspaper.

The Toronto Star said on Wednesday that the 50-year-old mother of eight children, five still at home, is a victim, her supporters say, of a post-Sept 11 backlash against Muslims in Canada, and something has to be done.

“I couldn’t sleep from the pain,” Fatema, wearing a traditional head scarf, said at a news conference on Tuesday through an interpreter. “I’m still in pain and I’m not feeling at peace.”

Fatema, who came to Canada from Iraq two years ago, said she was heading home from a shopping expedition just after four o’clock when the bus driver rejected her transfer ticket, ripped it up and told her to pay again.

When she refused, she says the driver and passengers began yelling at her to get off the bus, while others laughed.

Fatema says a passenger then grabbed her shopping bags, threw them off the bus and pushed her roughly out the door as she got off to retrieve them. When she turned around, she says the man punched her in the head, knocking her briefly unconscious.

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) said the driver followed normal procedures. The commission was unaware of any complaint against the driver, spokeswoman Marilyn Bolton said.

She added that the commission had been told Fatema’s son was satisfied with the explanations he was given about why the transfer was rejected.

New Democrat Peter Kormos called the incident “disturbing” and described as an outrage what he believes has been its insufficient investigation.

“How can we as a community leave this woman punched, beaten and bruised and not do anything meaningful about it?” said Kormos.