New York City will pay $18 million for removing hijab
New York City has reached a $17.5 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed by two Muslim women.
It was against the police policy of removing hijabs during arrest photos.
Although the city denies wrongdoing, the New York Police Department has altered its policy.
It no longer mandates removing head coverings during arrests.
The settlement compensates affected women with payouts ranging from more than $7,000 to over $13,000 per incident.
Filed in March 2018, the case represents thousands of New Yorkers.
Plaintiffs cited violations of religious rights under federal and state law.
Albert Fox Cahn, representing the plaintiffs, hailed the settlement as a victory for privacy and religious rights.
The NYPD says the settlement respects religious beliefs while addressing law enforcement needs.
It comes at a time of increasing anti-Muslim bias in the U.S.
A recent report from the Council on American-Islamic Relations found that complaints of anti-Muslim bias in the United States reached a record high in 2023.
The civil rights group received more than 8,000 complaints of anti-Muslim incidents last year — the highest number reported in the group’s 30-year history.
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