Clifton Woman Charged After Assaulting Muslim Teen Wearing Hijab

Charlie Dwyer

CLIFTON, NJ – A Clifton woman has been charged by police after shouting racial slurs at two Muslim teenagers wearing hijabs. Nancy Jones, 59, was arrested after confronting and harassing the teens in a nail salon on April 30th.

During her hate-fueled verbal assault, Jones is accused of striking one of the girls, age 13, in the head.

Jones turned herself in to Clifton police after a warrant was issued for her arrest.

“Jones is accused of telling two Muslim teenager to go back to their country during a bias-filled attack on the two at a nail salon,” the Clifton Police Department said Friday. “It is very unfortunate that this incident took place in our city. But, thanks to our Community Policing Division, which specializes in investigating bias related incidents and working with their victims throughout the process, this matter was brought to a successful conclusion.”


The New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) later condemned the assault.


On Saturday, April 30, two Muslim girls, 15 and 13-years-old who wear hijabs (Islamic head scarves), reported that while they were waiting to get their nails done a white woman began shouting at them for “staring at her.” The woman allegedly shouted profanities at the Muslim girls “to go back to their f-ing country you two little punks,” and that “they do not belong here.”  

The woman then reportedly hit the 13-year-old Muslim girl on the head. Before leaving the salon, the woman, assuming another hijab wearing Muslim woman in the salon was the girls’ mother, berated her as well, shouting profanities and racist remarks.  

The mother of the two girls returned to the salon to find her two daughters crying. When the mother approached the alleged attacker in the parking lot and asked her why she had assaulted her daughters, the alleged attacker reportedly shouted, “go f-ing away from here” and other profanities.   

The Muslim mother took pictures of the license plate and the vehicle. When she returned to the salon, other customers corroborated the story told to her by her two daughters, confirming that the two girls did nothing to provoke the woman. The police were then called to the scene.  

On Monday, May 2 Clifton police called and asked that the daughters to come to the station. The family went to the station on Tuesday to provide their statements. The Clifton police were also interviewing other witnesses who had been at the salon and saw what happened.  

CAIR, NJ

“We are deeply troubled by this alleged bias-motivated behavior. Physically and verbally attacking two young girls to the point of tears is appalling. We welcome the ongoing police investigation by Clifton officers and hope the matter is taken seriously and justice is done.” 

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