Police: Muslim woman made up story about attack at the hands of Trump supporter

LAFAYETTE, La. -- A Muslim woman who claimed two men attacked her and stole her hijab hours after Donald Trump was elected president Wednesday, told police she made up the story, according to officials.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette police said they received a report of a robbery near campus just after 11 a.m. on Wednesday.  In the initial report, the woman said two men hit her, made her fall to the ground, yelled racial obscenities, then stole her wallet and hijab, a head covering sometimes worn by Muslim women.

According to initial reports, the woman said at least one of the attackers was wearing a Donald Trump hat.

"During the course of the investigation, the female complainant admitted that she fabricated the story about her physical attack as well as the removal of her hijab and wallet by two white males," the Lafayette Police Department said in a news release.

The incident is no longer under investigation, police said.

The alleged incident gained national attention and came in the midst of anti-Trump protests across the country.  The Louisiana affiliate of the American Civil Liberties initially condemned the attack, but released a new statement following the Lafayette police's announcement.

"We don't know the full story of what happened yesterday, and we don't know what caused her to recant," the ACLU statement said. "We stand by our call for all Louisianians to reject anti-Muslim bigotry. Our Muslim neighbors' rights remain unchanged. We will continue to speak out against this harassment and bigotry, and call for equal protection under the law."

University of Louisiana President Joseph Savoie did not reference the robbery, but urged students to work to find common ground after the divisive presidential election in a blog post on Wednesday.

“University campuses are places where men and women of all races and religions should be able to exchange ideas and learn from one another,” Savoie said in the post. “We grow as human beings by listening to others who have different backgrounds and experiences. The University strives to provide an environment that nurtures healthy discourse. I encourage you to take advantage of resources available on our campus that can help you contribute, in your own way, to a better future.”