WASHINGTON – 13-year-old Muslim girl’s hijab was ripped off by a man whocalled her a “terrorist” and threatened her with a knife in an apparenthate crime attack in the US, police said. The police is investigating theattack as a hate crime that happened last week in the US state of Virginia.

They said they think she was targeted “because of her religious attire,”the Washington Post reported. While walking in the Woodbridge area on April6, the police said, the girl was confronted by a stranger who swore at herand seized her arm.

According to police, she reported that he tried to place her arm behind herback, and then placed a small knife against her arms while calling her aterrorist.

They said the girl told them he removed her headscarf and placed a handover her mouth when she tried to scream. When a motorist came by and sawwhat was happening, the attacker fled, police said. The girl suffered minorinjuries, police said.

They said yesterday that they are continuing to investigate. The incidentcomes amid a spike in hate crimes and assaults targeting hijab-wearingwomen across the US.