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DURHAM: Two Muslim postgraduate students of Arab origin were viciously attacked on Christmas Eve after wishing a man a “merry Christmas,” according to UK media.
Ihsan Abualrob was punched in the face and his body kicked whilst he lay on the ground by a group of men in Durham.
Police confirmed that two men have been arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated assault in connection with the attack that took place, reports said.
Ihsan Abualrob and his friend Sherif MohyEldeen, who are studying at Durham University, were “harassed, insulted and physically assaulted” by a group of men, according to MohyEldeen’s Facebook page.

The attack happened after the two students visited their local pub to play pool and it transpired that the students were from Egypt and Palestine.
Abualrob told the Northern Echo: “We don’t drink and were sitting there chatting when out of the blue a British guy approached us, pulled up a chair uninvited and asked where we were from.
MohyEldeen said that the man asked them where they were from and exclaimed “Egypt, Palestine. So, you are all Muslims… Are you suicide bombers?” in response to their reply.
The students were attacked after they left the pub by the man and his friends.
Abualrob said that “they started insulting my religion” and that he wished them a “merry Christmas” in response to their insults.
He told the Northern Echo: “We started crossing the street and they followed us. One of them threw an empty glass toward us. Then one of them lunged at me and punched me on my left check and I fell to the ground. Then three of them started kicking me in the head, shoulders and body. I grabbed my head in my arms trying to protect my face”.
MohyEldeen described the attack as like “living my worst nightmare” and Abualrob said that “Christmas should be a time of love and hope, not violence.”
A spokesman for Durham Police said that “A 49-year-old man and a 23-year-old have been arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated assault with injury.”