Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Suit Challenges NYPD's Forcible Removal of Hijabs as Crowd Control Tactic

Suit was filed this week in a New York federal district court challenging the practice of the New York Police Department of forcibly and publicly removing Muslim women's hijabs as a method of crowd control at demonstrations. The complaint (full text) in Council on American-Islamic Relations New York v. City of New York, (SD NY, filed 3/9/2025) contends that the practice violates the free exercise and free speech protections of the U.S. and New York Constitutions, as well as the 4th Amendment and other provisions of New York law. CAIR issued a press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit.