Syrian refugees have been facing loads of racism across the world since the start of the Syrian civil war 11 years ago with the latest being an old Syrian woman recognized as Laila Mohammad in the Turkish city of Gaziantep last Monday.
The story of Laila, or who was named by social media users and supporters as "Auntie Laila", crashed all over social media platforms after a Turkish man violently attacked the old Syrian woman over false accusations made against her suggesting that Laila is kidnapping kids.
DUYURU?
— Uluslararası Mülteci Hakları (@multecihakder) May 30, 2022
Gaziantep te zihinsel engelli Suriyeli yaşlı kadına tekme atarak darbedilmesi ile ilgili süreç derneğimizce takip edilmektedir.
Saldırgan şahıs hakkında tüm suç duyurusu, şikayet ve mahkeme süreçleri bizzat dernek avukatlarımız tarafından sonuna kadar takip edilecektir. pic.twitter.com/I2y6qob7Ig
A video was widely shared online showing a Turkish man kicking an old Syrian woman in her face over accusations of kidnapping children. Authorities have rapidly arrested the abuser hours after the incident.
Various campaigns were launched online with plenty of hashtags in Arabic, English, and Turkish, including "#ŞakirÇakırTutuklansın, #StandWithLeyla, #ليلى_محمد, and #قلبي_أصيب_معها", were shared in solidarity with the elderly Laila Mohammad against hate crimes and abuse against Syrian refugees.
يجب على الحكومة التركية أن تحاسب المجرمين المسؤولين عن ضرب اللاجئة السورية البريئة ليلى.#StandWithLeyla #NoToRacisim #AgainstBeatingWomen pic.twitter.com/3FEy2ilfRP
— Omar Alshogre (@omarAlshogre) June 1, 2022
Translation: "The Turkish government should punish those who are responsible for attacking the female, innocent Syrian refugee Laila."
Human rights activists who stood with Laila have shared their pictures with one hand covering an eye to show support for the elderly refugee who did the same after being attacked by the Turkish man.
Cartoonists including Alaa Allagta have also announced their solidarity with Laila by sharing characters of the old Syrian refugee.
Nevertheless, some people pointed out that Syrians usually face loads of hate crimes abroad but due to the lack of videotaping of such racist crimes the world is being silent adding that if Laila's story wasn't shared online, no one would have known what happened and authorities wouldn't have arrested the attacker.
