Racism claim denied

A MUSLIM woman who accused a grandfather of making racial comments about her hijab while they were in an elevator has failed in her bid for compensation.

The woman told the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) the man abused her in the lift at a Southport unit complex in July 2016.

“He said an Arabic sentence which means in English prophet Mohamed peace be upon him is pig in front of my kids,” the woman claimed. He knew from my hijab that I am Muslim.”

The woman said she gave a sarcastic response and the man swore at her. She followed him to get his unit number so she could make a complaint.

However, QCAT ruled the Anti-Discrimination Commission Queensland could not proceed with the claim because there was no evidence the man incited hatred or contempt towards the religion.

The man told QCAT he did not say anything to the woman and told her to “go away” when she followed him out of the lift.

He said he was holding his three-week-old granddaughter and did not see what “could possibly justify this year-long relentless harassment or the compensation claim”.

“I find that behaviour very bizarre, aggressive and bullying,” he said.

In the QCAT decision, adjudicator David Paratz said the CCTV footage showed the man at one point saying something to the woman, but it was impossible to tell what it was.

He was satisfied that what was said upset the woman.

An Asian man is seen in the lift, but he does not appear to react to anything said.

The claim was dismissed and it was ordered the two parties not be identified.