Clothing

Lawsuit claims DMV rule about head coverings violates religious, civil liberties The lawsuit’s plaintiff said she felt pressured to sign the form last year at a driver’s license facility in Rockford, and now fears losing her license if she’s seen without a head covering.

(Chicago Sun-Times) A civil rights group is suing Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White over a rule it claims violates people’s religious rights at driver’s license facilities across the state. The issue: Anyone wearing a religious head covering while taking a driver’s […]

Banks & Banking

Woman charged with robbing Rogers Park, Skokie banks in one day Willie M. Thomas demanded money from a Wintrust Bank in [Chicago] and a Byline Bank in [Skokie] Aug. 15, according to federal prosecutors.

(Chicago Sun-Times) Federal charges have been filed against a woman in two bank robberies in north suburban Skokie and West Rogers Park earlier this month. Willie M. Thomas robbed both Aug. 15, stealing more than $8,000 in total, according to a criminal […]

Academics & Education

CSDM warns prospective teachers about religious symbols, despite saying it wouldn’t apply Bill 21 Commisioner says government threats of putting CSDM under trusteeship unfair

(CBC) Quebec’s largest school board appears to be falling into line when it comes to the province’s new religious symbols law, despite saying earlier this summer it wouldn’t apply the rules until holding further consultations. The Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM) began quietly including a notice […]

Banks & Banking

Woman robs banks in Skokie, West Rogers Park on same day: FBI The same woman is suspected in an April 29 robbery at a Huntington Bank branch in Oak Lawn. A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for tips that lead directly to her arrest.

(Chicago Sun-Times) A woman robbed two banks Thursday in north suburban Skokie and West Rogers Park on the North Side. About 11:50 a.m., a woman with a gun robbed the Byline Bank at 8400 Skokie Blvd. in Skokie, according to the FBI. […]

Children & Teens

Air Canada staff allegedly forced a 12-year-old passenger to remove her hijab Fatima Abdelrahman had already passed through security when they forced [her to] remove her hijab.

(Narcity) Canada’s primary airline is facing allegations of racial prejudice following a questionable security incident. Air Canada is being questioned by the family of a 12-year-old girl after staff allegedly pulled the girl aside and forced her to remove her hijab at […]

Clothing

Majority of Canadians disapprove of Bill 21, but Quebecers are in favour: poll A Forum Research survey of 1,733 people conducted from July 26-28 concludes 59 per [cent] of Canadian voters disapprove of the law

(Montreal Gazette) A new poll shows a majority of Canadians living outside Quebec do not approve of the province’s religious symbols law. But as other polls have revealed in the past, those living in Quebec say they strongly approve of Bill 21 […]

Clothing

German conservatives renew calls for a burqa ban The deputy leader of the conservative Christian Democrats has joined other CDU members in calling for a burqa ban in Germany. The calls come after the Netherlands imposed its own ban on face-covering clothing.

(Deutsche Welle) As the neighboring Netherlands begins policing the wearing of burqas, Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) are calling for a burqa ban of Germany’s own. Julia Klöckner, who leads the provincial Rhineland-Palatinate branch of the party and is the No. 2 […]

Clothing

Civil rights groups seek appeal of judge’s refusal to freeze parts of Quebec’s religious symbols law Civil Liberties Association, National Council of Muslims sought injunction hours after law passed in June

(CBC) Two civil rights groups are seeking an appeal after a Quebec Superior Court justice refused their emergency request to temporarily freeze parts of the province’s new religious symbols law. The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the Canadian Civil Liberties […]

Clothing

Will federal leaders back the legal challenge to Quebec’s religious symbols ban with an election looming? Jewish group wants Ottawa to intervene after emergency injunction denied

(CBC) The Canadian wing of an international Jewish organization wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to send government lawyers to join the legal fight against Quebec’s secularism law. B’nai Brith Canada published an open letter Thursday after a Quebec Superior Court justice denied […]