Law enforcement keeps making women remove hijabs for mugshots (19thnews.org)

submitted 7 months ago by tree@lemmy.zip to c/thepoliceproblem@lemmy.world

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When Tamera Hutcherson was arrested on January 8 in Dallas, she says, she was ordered by a woman officer to remove her hijab and lift up her shirt with the instruction: “Lift up your top like it’s Girls Gone Wild.” When she did, her waist beads — worn as part of a deeply-held spiritual belief — were revealed, and the officer allowed her to continue wearing them.

But then, she says in a new lawsuit, she was escorted to take a mugshot. Another officer, a man, ordered her to remove her hijab again, this time in view of both men officers and inmates. She tried to explain that she wore her hijab — a head covering — for religious reasons but was ignored. Hutcherson eventually complied but was shaking and crying so violently that the photograph had to be taken three times just to capture an in-focus image.

Hutcherson was arrested alongside two other women wearing hijabs that day — Donia El-Hussain and Nidaa Lafi — after participating in a protest demanding that the Biden administration call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The three women have filed a civil lawsuit against Dallas County, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office and the individual officers involved, saying their religious garments were unlawfully removed for mugshot photos. The Dallas County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Huma Yasin, the lawyer representing El-Hussain, Hutcherson and Lafi, said she hopes this legal action prompts policy changes.

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[-] distantsounds@lemmy.world 28 points 7 months ago

I’m with the cops on this one. Your religious beliefs shouldn’t exempt you from a standard booking.

[-] ridethisbike@lemmy.world 24 points 7 months ago

Yep. I generally think the cops can do better (the girls gone wild comment for example is completely out of line)... But the mugshot hijab removal isn't the reason cops are shit

[-] BreakDecks@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago

I would agree if police didn't make mugshots public, and encourage the humiliation of the accused. If a mugshot were just an internal record, this wouldn't be the same issue.

As it currently stands mugshots are used to socially punish people absent a criminal conviction. Violating people's religious beliefs in that process is disgusting.

this post was submitted on 04 Apr 2024

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