New York City has reportedly filed a class-action lawsuit led by two Muslim women who allege that their religious rights were violated when police forced them to remove their hijabs for photos after arrest. He reportedly agreed to pay $17.5 million.
fox news digital report The first settlement, which still needs to be finalized by a district judge, was filed Friday in Manhattan federal court. The report said more than 3,600 people were eligible to receive payments under the agreement.
The two women who spearheaded the effort, Jamila Clark and Arwa Aziz, filed the lawsuit in 2018 after being arrested for violating protective orders. However, the two women reportedly claim that the reasons for their arrest were false. The two women were arrested twice, in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Ms Clark and Ms Aziz claimed they felt shame and experienced trauma after being forced to remove their hijabs for mugshots. Hijab is usually worn by Muslim women who follow Islam. Women compared removing their head coverings to undergoing a strip search.
“When they forced me to take off my hijab, I felt naked. I don’t know if words can describe how exposed and violated I felt,” Clark said. ” he said.
“I am so proud to have helped bring justice to thousands of New Yorkers today.”
CBS report CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher said in a statement: Muslim women who bravely continued this lawsuitWe are encouraging policy changes that will benefit many people who require similar religious attire. ”
The NYPD reportedly changed its policy in 2020 to allow arrestees to wear religious headgear with limited exceptions, according to court documents.
The total payout after legal fees and costs is estimated to be approximately $13.1 million, according to Fox News Digital. Each recipient is expected to receive between $7,824 and $13,125.
Albert Fox Kahn, a lawyer for Mr. Clark and Aziz, said the settlement is a milestone for the privacy and religious rights of New York residents.
“The NYPD should never have stripped these religious New Yorkers of their head coverings and dignity,” Khan said.
He went on to say that a successful lawsuit “sends a strong message that the NYPD cannot violate the First Amendment rights of New Yorkers without paying a price.”
Do you like Blaze News? Avoid censorship and sign up for our newsletter to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Register here!
