A vicious physical attack on a teenage girl in Reykjavík was filmed and released on social media. The nation is outraged and police are investigating. The girl’s father says she has been the victim of nasty bullying for quite some time.
The girl was hanging out near Langholtsskóli school in Reykjavík with her friends on Tuesday evening. She had been a student at that school until Christmas, when she transferred to Austurbæjarskóli.
She received a message asking her where she was. After replying to the message, four teenage girls quickly arrived in a car. At least two of them are known to be students at the girl’s new school. The following attack was filmed on a mobile phone.
The shocking video can be viewed on the RÚV website, but the faces have been blurred for legal reasons, because the attackers and victim are all minors. The victim’s father has given permission for media to show the video.
The video shows two boys, who were with the victim, trying to stop the attack, but failing to do so.
The video was distributed to other teenagers at the school. The victim was taken to hospital. She has an injured neck and back, various strains and is cut and badly bruised.
The father of the victim spoke to reporters but refused to give his name, in order to help protect his daughter. He said that she has suffered extensive bullying at her new school, Austurbæjarskóli, and has had repeated threats of physical violence. He is upset with the school; saying that he has met with the head and with student counselors without any concrete results. He says she has often rushed home before the school day finishes as a result of bullying.
There is no official comment from the school yet, but sources claim extensive action has been taken, including the suspension of one of the alleged perpetrators.
The attack was reported to the police on Wednesday and a spokesman said that this “case of ugly bullying” is a top police priority. Child protection services are also involved in the case. Only one of the girls involved is old enough to be criminally liable.
