Syrian refugee tripped by Hungarian reporter headed for Madrid

Son Osama Abdul Mohsen, one of the Syrian refugees who was tripped up by Hungarian journalist Petra László on September 8, is due to arrive at Madrid’s Atocha train station at midnight tonight. His journey to Spain came about after the president of Spain’s National Soccer Coach Training Center (Cenafe) found out that Abdul Mohsen had been a coach for a first-division team in his home country. “We are a center for coaches and we like to help everyone who works in this,” explains the Cenafe director, Conrado Galán.

Mohsen, along with his two children and a translator, left Munich bound for Spain this morning via train

Mohsen, along with his two children and a student from Cenafe, Mohamed Labrouzi, left Munich bound for Spain this morning via train. Labrouzi, who is also of Arabic origin, left Madrid on Tuesday by plane to meet Mohsen, with the objective of helping him get over the language barrier. “We have used money from our advertising budget to pay for an apartment in Getafe [a Madrid suburb] in which he will be able to stay,” the Cenafe director explained.

Abdul Mohsen’s wife and two other children are still in Turkey, but next week Cenafe will make efforts to bring the entire family to Spain. “When we saw the story of Mohsen published in the newspapers we felt very bad about it,” explains Galán. “As soon as he learns Spanish, we plan to offer him a job at our organization.”

When we saw the story we felt very bad about it. As soon as he learns Spanish, we plan to offer him a job”

Mohsen arrived in Munich with his seven-year-old son, Zaid, after escaping the war that has been raging in Syria since 2011. In Munich he was reunited with another of his children, Mohammed Al Ghadabe, aged 18, who emigrated ahead of the rest of his family. The three will arrive tonight in Getafe, where dozens of locals are getting ready to give them a warm welcome.

Footage of Petra László kicking a child and tripping Abdul Mohsen, who was carrying his son at the time, quickly went viral, prompting the employers of the Hungarian journalist to immediately fire her. She later apologized for her actions.

English version by Simon Hunter.