Thread by @CAIRNational

Woman seeks $250K from Ferndale over police making her remove #hijab for booking photo
#Islamophobia
theoaklandpress.com/2021/09/19/mus…

Public controversy over the incident flared Wednesday after Bowe appeared at a news conference with leaders and staff attorney Amy Doukoure with the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Michigan Chapter.

Doukoure and CAIR-MI are representing Bowe in her effort to collect a financial settlement.
The attorney said Friday no lawsuit has been filed at this point, but she and CAIR-MI have filed a “notice of claim,” which asks for a $250,000 settlement for Bowe and a change

in Ferndale police policy to allow Muslim women to wear their religious headscarves in booking photos.

CAIR-MI always files a legal notice and tries to work with municipalities, and private entities, to change policies and settlements. If that fails, a lawsuit is filed, Doukoure said.

In Ferndale she said the hope is to engage in a dialogue with city police and officials on religious legal rights Muslim women have, which include wearing a hijab as part of their faith.

“There are federal and state laws that allow a woman to wear a hijab for state IDs, driver’s licenses, passport photos and immigration photos,’ Doukure said. “We had two recent cases, still in federal court, where judges issued opinions and orders … that they believe it is a

woman’s religious right to wear the headscarf in a booking photo.”

Doukoure is also critical of other issues related to Bowe’s arrest.
Ferndale city officials sent out a news release Wednesday and said the hijab removal allegations were brought to the attention of city officials and police by local media

following the new conference at CAIR’s office in Canton Township.

Ferndale Police Chief Dennis Emmi acknowledged Bowe was asked to remove her hijab for photos at the police station.

Emmi said he will reach out to CAIR to discuss how Ferndale police can show increased sensitivity and better serve citizens of the Muslim faith.

City Manager Joseph Gacioch has directed the city’s new Racial Equity Action Team to give religious and cultural sensitivity training to all city employees.

“We recognize the need for further knowledge and guidance,” Gacioch said in a statement, “we are absolutely open to accepting it and updating our policies and practices,

and we look forward to a positive and productive partnership with our friends at the American Islamic Relations Council.”

Though Ferndale has a population that is 88 percent white and 6 percent Black, Doukoure noted more than half the traffic violations in the city are given to Black people.

Ferndale police said Bowe was pulled over on Eight Mile Road because she had a “fraudulent” license plate, Doukoure said Bowe was driving with a valid plate and registration.

Bowe was searched during her arrest and again at the police station by a male officer, Doukoure added.

“While a female sergeant officer was watching” during the search, she said, “my client was begging for a female officer to search her instead. Such cross gender searches are only allowed under exigent circumstances when there is no female officer present.”

@TheOaklandPress @douk_amy