California to pay $85,000 to Muslim woman over forcibly removing hijab

Long Beach: A Muslim woman has been awarded $85,000 after an officer forcibly removed her hijab, or headscarf, when she was in police custody in Long Beach, California.

Kirsty Powell was stopped by police officers with her husband in 2015 as he was driving a lowrider vehicle. She then filed a lawsuit in 2016 alleging the police department had violated her First Amendment rights and the settlement was approved this week and is to be paid by the local municipal authority.

The city of Long Beach, California, will pay $85,000 to settle a 2016 lawsuit filed by a Muslim woman after an officer forcibly removed her hijab, or headscarf, when she was in police custody.

“She cried throughout the ordeal and experienced humiliation when both her religious beliefs and personal integrity were violated,” the lawsuit said.

Powell was the passenger, but was arrested after police found a warrant under her name for a shoplifting incident. Powell’s husband requested a female officer handle the arrest, according to the suit, but the arresting officers denied the request and told Powell she had to remove her hijab, CNN reported.

Powell spent the night in prison without her headscarf. It was returned when her husband posted her bond.

The lawsuit states Powell was “forced to appear in a publicly available booking photo without her religious headwear”, as a result of the foregoing deprivations of the free exercise of her religion, Kirsty Powell suffered severe discomfort, humiliation, and emotional distress.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations announced the settlement in a press release praising Powell.

“We commend Kirsty Powell for choosing to defend her right to religious freedom and taking action.”

Powell told the Council on American-Islamic Relations when she filed the suit she wanted to be the last Muslim woman who has this experience.