Muslim Ejected From Louisiana Mall Over Hijab
February 29 2008 - 02:32PM
PR Newswire (US)
CAIR calls for probe of possible civil rights violations
WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on local, state and
national law enforcement authorities to investigate a recent
incident in which a Muslim woman was allegedly ejected from a
Louisiana shopping mall for refusing a security guard's demand to
remove her religiously-mandated headscarf, or hijab. CAIR said the
54-year-old woman and her daughter-in-law were leaving the food
court of the Oakwood Mall in the New Orleans suburb of Gretna, La.,
on February 22 when a security guard approached them and allegedly
told the older woman that she had two options: remove her headscarf
or leave the mall. (The woman's daughter-in-law was not wearing a
headscarf.) The guard did not offer an explanation for his demand.
During the long walk out of the mall, the guard reportedly followed
the women and even called for back-up. The daughter-in-law told
CAIR that the two women felt "humiliated" by the stares of other
shoppers as the guard followed them out of the mall. When two more
guards came to the scene, they did not offer assistance to the
women, but they did confirm the reason for the first guard's
ejection order. The family, all of whom are American citizens of
Palestinian heritage, has retained an attorney and is exploring
their legal options. "It is unbelievable that an American of any
faith would be denied access to a public area merely because she
wished to carry out the requirements of her faith," said CAIR
National Legal Counsel Nadhira Al-Khalili. "We call on local law
enforcement authorities and the FBI to determine whether any civil
rights or criminal laws were violated during this disturbing
incident." CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group,
has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission
is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue,
protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build
coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding. CONTACT:
CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787
or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina
Rubin, 202-488-8787, E-Mail: ; CAIR Strategic Communications
Director Ahmed Rehab, 202-870-0166, E-Mail: DATASOURCE: Council on
American-Islamic Relations CONTACT: Ibrahim Hooper, National
Communications Director, +1-202-488-8787, +1-202-744-7726, , or
Amina Rubin, Communications Coordinator, +1-202-488-8787, , or
Ahmed Rehab, Strategic Communications Director, +1-202-870-0166, ,
all of CAIR
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