The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations will hold a press conference on Wednesday to ask for Temple, the Temple Police Department, Philadelphia Police Department and the Mayor’s Office to investigate reports of the PPD removing the hijab of a Muslim demonstrator during a protest on Temple’s campus on Sept. 26.
The demonstrator participated in a protest at a career fair for Temple’s College of Engineering and was arrested by TUPD. The press release stated that the woman was not allowed to wear her hijab for the 20 hours she was detained, including for her mugshot.
CAIR Philadelphia also admonished Temple for stating they would work with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office to provide additional materials to charge the four individuals after the DA’s office dropped charges against the protestors.
TUPD wrote in a Facebook post Thursday that there was no evidence of police wrongdoing after reviewing hours of both body cameras and building security footage. A spokesperson for Temple’s Department of Public Safety told The Temple News Tuesday that the department stands by that statement. DPS did not comment further on CAIR-Philadelphia’s call for a comprehensive investigation.
“No person should ever be forced to choose between their dignity, religious beliefs, and compliance with law enforcement,” said Adam Alaa Attia, the CAIR Philadelphia Legal Director, in a press release. “This is a clear violation of constitutional rights and religious freedoms, and we will not rest until justice is served. We urge all members of the community, regardless of faith, to stand in solidarity with the Muslim women who have endured this unlawful and degrading treatment.”
CAIR Philadelphia, an advocacy group that focuses on the American-Muslim justice movement advises practicing hijabis to tell police that they wear it for religious purposes and, if forced to remove it, to not resist but to tell the police that you do not consent.
CAIR Philadelphia also works on youth leadership and educational programs, civic engagement and can have their legal team review cases of anti-Muslim hate crimes.
“This is not merely an attack on free speech, but an attack on all Muslim students, Arab students, students of color and students opposed to genocide,” Temple’s chapter of Students For Justice in Palestine wrote in a social media post on Thursday following the protests.
The press conference will take place at the Friends Center on Cherry Street near 15th street and will include the CAIR Philadelphia Legal Team, faith and civic leaders and impacted community members.
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