An avid social and community figure says she was left shaking with fear after a heated verbal altercation resulted in her having to report the incident to the police.
Sham Lyn, was attending an event to celebrate the 76th Pakistan Republic Day in Bradford last month at a restaurant in the city.
After attempting to take a ‘selfie’ on stage with the host of the night, she says she was told ‘there’s no time’ by a voice from the crowd who then switched off the lights.
The mother-of-four says she then became embroiled in a verbal spat with a young man, describing his language as ‘shocking’.
“I asked if we could put the lights back on for a quick selfie and this man, who I had never even seen before, told me to p*** off,” she said.
“I said ‘how dare you speak to me like that, I don’t even know who you are’. I do not tolerate abuse, especially when it is directed at women so when I heard that I felt so angry.
“We continued arguing into the hall area and his language was just disgusting.”
Following the initial ‘stand-off’ Miss Lyn says she was subjected to a ‘torrent of abuse’ which left her in tears and demanding an apology.
“I was so upset, I was in tears,” she added. “He was shouting at me and I was shouting back. People had to restrain him and I was shaking.
“That was when his dad turned up and tried to apologise on his behalf.”
The purported aggressor in the incident was the son of Cllr Abid Hussain, Deputy Lord Mayor of Bradford.
Miss Lyn added: “I told him that I wanted a real apology from the young man himself and that I would be going to the police for being verbally abused.”
The following day Miss Lyn explained the incident in depth via a Facebook post and was replied to by Mr Hussain who invited her down to the restaurant once again for an apology from his son.
However, once there, a further altercation was seen as Sham’s friend, Khalid Rehman was pulled off his chair and thrown to the ground.
“I received an apology from the man but it was through gritted teeth and clenched fists,” Sham said. “I said I would not be accepting that.
“My friend Khalid told him ‘that is not how you talk to a woman’ and that is when he was hit and dragged to the ground by one of the young man’s friends who was in the meeting.
“He was basically ambushed. It was shocking to see and so upsetting.”
Miss Lyn says she is still waiting to hear on the progression of the case from the police.
“A minority of men think this kind of attitude will be tolerated in the Asian community,” she added. “They see women as fragile targets and it has to stop.”
Cllr Hussain declined to comment on the matter.
