The city of New York will pay multi-million dollar compensation to two Muslim women for taking their mugshots without their hijabs. The parties agreed to a settlement after the two women sued the police department in 2018.
This story began in January 2017, when two Muslim women, Jamila Clark and Arwa Aziz, were arrested by the New York Police Department for two separate events. Both violated a protection order imposed within the family for a case related to domestic abuse. They will receive more than $17 million from the city.
The coincidences between Clark's and Aziz's cases did not end there. After being arrested and taken to the police station, police officers removed both of their hijabs to take their mugshots which must be included in the authorities' records.
According to the plaintiffs, this gesture was a clear violation of their privacy and religious beliefs. The women, who sued jointly, said they felt violated by being exposed without their hijabs in a public place.
Policy change
The police and city authorities responded to the lawsuit by ensuring that mugshots must be taken without anything covering the detainee's head since the image must gather as much information as possible about the detainee. According to NBC, the authorities' defense claimed that this policy balanced respect for religious customs and "the legitimate law enforcement need to take arrest photos."
However, in 2020 the police department decided to change this policy, allowing the plaintiffs to continue with their lawsuit. The $17.5 million settlement was filed on Friday and requires the approval of Judge Analisa Torres from the Manhattan Federal Court.
City Law Department spokesman Nick Paolucci said in a statement reported by NBC that the settlement resulted in positive reform for the police department and "was in the best interest of all parties." This decision could set precedents, not only in New York.
