Hoda Al-Jamaa (17) was sitting with her friends at Otago Girls' High School when three other girls asked them how to swear in Aarabic and started taunting them.
The situation escalated and Hoda's hijab ripped off and was hit while others filmed her.
"Two of the girls held me and one hit me and after I fell on the ground, she ... was still hitting my face and my body. I was waiting for the teacher to help me," Hoda said.
The girls then took her hijab off and continued filming her and the video has now been shared with boys and girls around the school.
"My hijab ... is my culture and my religion. My hijab is everything for me and I love my hijab and those other girls love their hijabs."
The attackers tried to do the same to Hoda's two other friends.
Hoda said during the altercation, she was hit in the head so much she had to go to hospital for concussion, which now made learning very hard, although she was very hesitant to go back to school.
It was not the first violent attack she had been involved in and she frequently had the fingers pulled at her and was called a terrorist by other students, she said.
In a statement, police said the attack took place on Wednesday, February 9 and confirmed a group of Muslim pupils were attacked by three females in their early teens.
"The altercation and the possibility of the video circulating on social media, is very concerning to us. The three alleged offenders have been identified, and an active investigation into the incident is underway.
"This altercation has caused significant disquiet and distress for the girls, their families, and the wider Muslim community. We are treating this incident with the utmost urgency and care.
"Violence or threatening behaviour including any involving hate, hostility, or prejudice regarding race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or age is not acceptable."
The school would not comment.
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