Clothing
Detention of Muslims at UK ports and airports ‘structural Islamophobia’ (LINK ONLY)
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Head Covering
Arts & Entertainment
Sonia Kruger outburst in focus as Muslim leaders urge PM to outlaw Islamophobia
(New Daily) Television host Sonia Kruger’s vilification of Muslims, and men telling women wearing hijabs on trains they are “terrorists,” should be against the law, Islamic groups say. Australian Islamic leaders have urged Prime Minister Scott Morrison to tackle Islamophobia as he […]
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. […]
Beards
Cuomo signs law barring discrimination based on religious attire or facial hair
(NY Daily News) Gov. Cuomo signed new legislation Friday prohibiting employee discrimination based on religious attire or facial hair. Known as the “Religious Garb Bill,” the measure puts the onus on an employer to show that appearance, such as facial hair, or […]
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 […]
Academics & Education
Lincolnshire non-Muslim girls asked to wear hijab for a day
(BBC) Non-Muslim girls in Lincolnshire are being asked to wear a hijab for a day to raise awareness of discrimination. Ghada Mohamed said she came up with the idea in response to a number of incidents where girls wearing hijabs were subjected […]
Clothing
Small victory in court for groups fighting Bill 21
(Global News) Organizations trying to challenge Bill 21 won a small victory in court on Thursday. The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), along with Ichrak Nourel Hak — a university student who wears a […]
Clothing
Columbus Police reconsidering ban on officers wearing headscarves
(WOSU) Columbus Police Interim Chief Tom Quinlan says he is considering changing a department policy that forbids officers from wearing headscarves. Quinlan says officers cannot currently wear headscarves because of safety concerns. “Some of our concerns are, again, wearing gas masks, wearing […]
Clothing
Muslim woman sues city over removal of hijab for published mug shot
(Insider Louisville) A Muslim woman arrested during an immigration protest last summer has sued Louisville Metro Corrections and the city, asserting that the forced removal of her hijab for her published mug shot violated her constitutional rights, as well as state and […]
Clothing
Muslim activists continue to push against Quebec secularism law
(Religion News) Quebec’s Superior Court recently rejected civil rights advocates’ legal request to suspend the Canadian province’s controversial new ban on religious symbols for state workers. But activists in Canada and around the world say the fight is not yet over. “We […]
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 […]
Academics & Education
Headscarf ban lifted in Francophone schools in Brussels
(Brussels Times) Headscarves and other religious symbols will no longer be banned in higher education schools managed by Brussels’ French Community Commission (COCOF), a member of the coalition government announced at the weekend. The ban was also lifted from Francophone adult education […]
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 […]
Clothing
Michigan College Republican loses beauty crown over ‘insensitive’ tweets
(Detroit News) A College Republican leader at the University of Michigan is blasting Miss World America beauty pageant officials for stripping her state title and barring her from a national competition because of provocative social media posts that spurred accusations of racism, […]
Clothing
Quebec’s religious symbols law passes 1st legal test as judge refuses injunction Civil Liberties Association, National Council of Muslims sought injunction hours after law passed in June
(CBC) A Quebec Superior Court justice has rejected a request to temporarily suspend parts of the province’s new religious symbols law, though he did agree it raises “serious” constitutional questions. Justice Michel Yergeau said Thursday the court must defer, at this stage, […]
Clothing
Montreal police removed Muslim woman’s hijab during search, Human Rights Commission says The Quebec Human Rights Commission says a Montreal police officer asked Aicha Essalama if she had any weapons on her, then removed her hijab and prayer robe without her permission.
(Montreal Gazette) Claiming a Montreal police officer removed a Muslim woman’s hijab and prayer robe without her permission, the Quebec Human Rights Commission is seeking to have the force ordered to update its search policies to better accommodate religious minorities. According to […]
Clothing
Quebec forced to defend religious symbols law in court for first time Civil rights groups argue ban will cause harm as they ask judge to freeze parts of Bill 21
(CBC) The Quebec government can’t “with a straight face” claim its new religious symbols law won’t have any harmful effects, a lawyer for two civil rights groups told a Superior Court justice Tuesday. Catherine McKenzie made the comment as she asked the […]
Clothing
As fight over Quebec’s religious symbols law shifts to courts, legal experts debate best way to challenge it Bill 21 invokes notwithstanding clause, complicating how opponents can challenge law's constitutionality
(CBC) Quebec’s religious symbols law was not yet 12 hours old when it became the subject of a Superior Court motion seeking to have it struck down. On Tuesday, the motion, filed last month by the National Council of Canadian Muslims and […]
Clothing
Victoria councillor tables motion to support challenge of Quebec’s religious symbols law If passed, Victoria will join Brampton, Ont., in condemning Quebec's ban of religious symbols at work
(CBC) A Victoria councillor has tabled a motion that will ask the city to support a legal challenge of a Quebec law that bans employees from wearing religious symbols at work. The motion from Sharmarke Dubow asks that the City of Victoria […]
Academics & Education
Quebec minister accused of hypocrisy after tweeting photo with Malala Yousafzai
(Canadian Press) Quebec’s education minister is being accused of hypocrisy after tweeting a picture of himself with Nobel Prize-winning human rights activist Malala Yousafzai. Jean-Francois Roberge met Yousafzai while in France, and said on Twitter that they discussed education and international development. […]
Children & Teens
‘It felt like home again’: Muslim students return to Wilmington pool 1 year after clothing dispute
(Delaware News Journal) One year after Muslim students were asked to leave a Wilmington public pool because of their clothing, the children and their principal returned to the pool on its opening day. This time, they felt welcomed. “We had a wonderful time,” […]
Clothing
Quebec premier shrugs off charge new religious symbols law makes Muslim women more vulnerable to racism François Legault skeptical of Muslims who say Islamophobia's on the rise in Quebec
(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault says he doesn’t “really” believe Muslim women in the province who say they’ve been the target of Islamophobic incidents since the government passed a law making it illegal for some civil servants to wear religious symbols. Several Muslim […]
Clothing
Manitoba premier to raise Quebec religious symbol law with western premiers
(Canadian Press) Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he will be seeking a joint response to Quebec’s new religious symbols law when western premiers meet on Thursday in Edmonton. “That is, certainly to my mind, dangerous and un-Canadian and deserves to be opposed,” Pallister said in […]
Academics & Education
Quebec federation of school boards says it will obey secularism law this fall The province's largest board has said it would hold consultations before banning religious symbols
(CBC) Quebec’s federation of school boards (FCSQ) says it intends on obeying the province’s new secularism law when classes resume in September. The move comes after the province’s largest school board, the Commission scolaire de Montréal (CSDM), said it would not enforce the […]
Clothing
In Quebec’s secularism law, an Ontario police force sees a source of recruits Brampton, Ont., mayor calls Quebec law 'an affront to freedom of religion'
(CBC) An Ontario police force will launch a recruiting campaign targeting Quebec residents affected by the province’s new law on religious symbols. The Peel Regional Police, which covers territory including the cities of Mississauga and Brampton, will conduct a campaign in Quebec after a motion was passed unanimously […]
Academics & Education
Confusion, questions as Quebec schools forced to apply ban on religious symbols In midst of teacher shortage, school boards, unions, educators try to make sense of new law
(CBC) Lisa Starr’s job is to find internships for prospective teachers. Her task for next fall just got more complicated, now that Quebec’s ban on religious symbols has been passed into law. “I think there’s a lot of confusion and a lot of […]
Academics & Education
Quebec’s largest school board won’t apply religious symbols law — at least for now CSDM will hold consultations on law that could run until fall 2020
(CBC) The Commission Scolaire de Montréal voted unanimously Wednesday to delay the application of Quebec’s religious symbols law until a proper consultation process with its internal groups can be carried out. The consultations could last until the fall of 2020, the CSDM said […]
Burkini
State: Dearborn employee fired for anti-Muslim remarks did not commit misconduct
(Detroit Free Press) The state of Michigan has determined that a former city of Dearborn employee who was fired for making anti-Muslim remarks online did not commit misconduct and is eligible to receive unemployment benefits. Bill Larion, 58, was terminated by the […]
Clothing
Why some Canadian Muslims celebrated the Quebec hijab ban
(Toronto Sun) On Sunday night after a marathon session, Quebec legislators voted 73-35 to bring into law Premier François Legault’s Bill 21 that bans some public servants from wearing religious symbols. Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government, which also had the backing […]
Clothing
To minorities worried about religious symbols law, Quebec premier says he ‘could have gone further’ New law responds to desires of long-spurned majority, François Legault says in interview
(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault had a blunt message Tuesday for minorities worried about his government’s new religious symbols law: the legislation, he said, “could have gone further.” The law, which was passed late Sunday, bars civil servants in positions of authority — including public school teachers, […]
Clothing
Court challenge, protest greet day one of Quebec’s anti-religious symbols law Muslim advocacy group and Canadian Civil Liberties Association file motion seeking to strike down new law
(CBC) Quebec’s new law on religious symbols has been on the books for less than 24 hours, but already opposition is being mounted on several fronts, both in the courts and on the streets. The law was rammed through the legislature late Sunday […]
Clothing
Judge allows Muslim woman to proceed with lawsuit against Ramsey County jail
(MPR) A Minnesota woman who said she was forced to remove her hijab in jail will be able to move forward with a lawsuit in federal court. Aida Al-Kadi, who is Muslim, alleges that in 2013, she was forced to remove the […]
Clothing
Fears of ‘secularism police’ raised by CAQ’s last-minute changes to religious symbols bill 'It was never discussed, it's unacceptable,' Liberal MNA says of amendments
(CBC) Quebec’s opposition is warning last-minute changes to the Coalition Avenir Québec’s religious symbols law open the door to the establishment of “secularism police.” In the final hours before Bill 21 was passed late Sunday, the CAQ introduced several amendments, including provisions to ensure the […]
Clothing
Quebec government adopts controversial religious symbols bill Religious symbols law, introduced as Bill 21, passed with a vote of 73-35
(CBC) Quebec’s majority government has pushed through a controversial piece of legislation that will bar public-school teachers, government lawyers, judges and police officers from wearing religious symbols while at work. The bill, introduced by the Coalition Avenir Québec government, passed after a marathon weekend of deliberations […]
Clothing
Hijab police officer recognized as a ‘leader among peers’ at academy graduation
(Bergen Record) A Paterson police recruit called a “leader among peers” at the Bergen County Police Academy was named the recipient of the graduating class’ Role Model Award. Officer Serein Tamimi, who broke a historic barrier as the first Palestinian-American woman and […]
Clothing
‘We aren’t an elective monarchy’: Opposition MNAs decry Legault’s push to pass immigration, secularism bills MNAs sitting after CAQ government said it would invoke closure to ensure Bills 9 and 21 pass before summer
(CBC) Opposition parties are accusing Quebec’s Legault government of trying to run the National Assembly like a business, as they attempt to extend the debate of its two flagship Bills 9 and 21. Members of the National Assembly are sitting this weekend […]
Clothing
François Legault defends decision to quash debate over immigration, religious symbols bills Despite widespread criticism, Quebec premier says it's time to 'turn the page'
(CBC) Quebec Premier François Legault says there’s a risk of upsetting “social cohesion” in the province if the debate over religious symbols is allowed to linger any longer. Legault will invoke closure to pass his government’s controversial secularism and immigration bills, putting an end […]
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Quebec government to sit through weekend to ram through immigration, religious symbols bills Premier Legault will invoke closure to ensure its flagship legislation, Bills 9 and 21, pass before summer
(CBC) The Coalition Avenir Québec government will invoke closure this weekend to force passage of two controversial pieces of legislation — one that reforms the province’s immigration system and another that bars civil servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. The centre-right party […]
Clothing
Quebec government aims to define religious symbols in amendment to secularism bill Move is seen as a concession to ensure bill will pass on Friday
(CBC) The Quebec government is offering a first concession to critics of its proposed law restricting religious symbols worn by some civil servants. Tuesday afternoon, Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette tabled the amendment which would define what a religious symbol is. The amendment seeks to define a religious symbol […]
Clothing
Protesters in Quebec City say Bill 21 will ‘create barriers for future generations’ Sit-in at Quebec's National Assembly draws small crowd under rainy skies
(CBC) Several dozen people stood in the pouring rain outside Quebec’s National Assembly on Tuesday to tell the Coalition Avenir Québec that they will continue to fight against the party’s proposed ban on religious symbols in the civil service, even if Bill 21 is passed at […]
Clothing
Disciplinary hearing for judge who refused to hear woman wearing hijab is again delayed Lawyer representing judge says report on incident was biased
(CBC) More than four years after a Quebec court judge refused to hear the case of a woman because she was wearing a hijab, the Conseil de la magistrature finally held a disciplinary hearing into the judge’s conduct. In February 2015, Judge […]
Clothing
NSW police apologise for ‘vilifying’ Arabs
(AAP) NSW Police has apologised for using headscarves on two officers playing the part of terrorists during a training exercise after it was found it racially vilified Palestinians and Arabs. The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal in May said it was unreasonable […]
Arts & Entertainment
New documentary explores social division in Quebec’s secularism debate Nadia Zouaoui is the filmmaker behind The Trial 2.0, released this week
(CBC) The secularism debate in Quebec has been going on for more than a decade, and much has been made of the importance of keeping religious symbols out of the workplace. A new documentary, The Trial 2.0, focuses on the impact of the 2013 […]
Academics & Education
Swedish town bans Islamic headscarf in primary schools
(Local) A municipality in southern Sweden has voted to ban the Islamic headscarf in schools for children under the age of 13, in a first for Sweden. The populist measure is part of a new “integration plan” for the town of Staffanstorp, […]
Clothing
Why doesn’t the Quebec government seem bothered by mounting tension over its religious symbols bill? The CAQ insists everything is fine as Quebec debates Bill 21, but evidence suggests otherwise
(CBC) Over the weekend, police in Quebec City opened an investigation into a possible hate crime outside a suburban mosque, the same mosque where, in 2017, a white nationalist killed six people. The incident, which allegedly involved a man shouting racist comments […]
Clothing
New poll suggests one-third don’t want politicians to wear religious symbols
(Canadian Press) While most Canadians firmly back the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and strongly support the idea of diversity, a new poll suggests a third of Canadians would ban their elected officials from wearing religious symbols. A majority of Quebecers canvassed […]
Academics & Education
Pearland ISD announces new dress code amid discrimination claims
(Houston Chronicle) Pearland ISD has announced changes to its dress code amid criticism of the district’s confrontation of minority students over their hair style and headwear. The dress code announced Thursday for the 2019-20 school year removes restrictions on “hair styles and […]
Academics & Education
Pearland student told she can’t wear hijab without note: parents
(KTRK) Some parents of Pearland ISD students believe there is a discrimination problem at their schools. They spoke to the school board at a meeting Tuesday night. Seventh grader Juelz Trice made national headlines after an administrator forced him to use permanent […]
Clothing
UN human rights observers warn Quebec about secularism bill 3 rapporteurs signed letter expressing several 'concerns' about religious symbols bill
(CBC) High-ranking human rights monitors with the United Nations are concerned the Quebec government will violate fundamental freedoms if it moves ahead with legislation to limit where religious symbols can be worn. Three UN legal experts, known as rapporteurs, signed and sent […]