New York City has agreed to pay $17.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over the forced removal of hijabs in mug shots.
The settlement stems from a lawsuit filed in 2018 by Jamilla Clark and Arwa Aziz, two Muslim women who were compelled to remove their hijabs by New York Police Department officers during booking photos after their arrests.
Clark and Aziz described feeling humiliated and violated when their hijabs were forcibly removed, with Aziz’s photo taken in the presence of male officers and inmates.
The lawsuit highlighted that over 3,600 women faced similar treatment, despite an interim departmental order in 2015 allowing inmates to push back their head coverings instead of complete removal.
The settlement, covering affected individuals from March 2014 to August 2021, is expected to provide compensation ranging from $7,000 to $13,000 per person.
While the total settlement amount is $17.5 million, after deducting attorney fees and administrative costs, the actual payout for plaintiffs will be around $13 million.
Attorney Albert Fox Cahn, representing the plaintiffs, emphasized that while money cannot fully remedy the trauma, the settlement sends a clear message that the NYPD cannot infringe on New Yorkers’ First Amendment rights without consequences.
The settlement awaits finalization by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, with no immediate response from the plaintiffs’ attorney. However, NYPD spokesperson Nicholas Paolucci stated that the agreement balances the respect for religious beliefs with the law enforcement need for arrest photos.
The case demonstrates broader concerns regarding religious freedoms and discriminatory practices within law enforcement, particularly impacting Muslim Americans.
