Woman Files $250K Claim Against Michigan Police, Says Forced Hijab Removal Violated Religious Rights
A legal dispute in Michigan is highlighting the tension between standard police security procedures and religious freedom, after a Muslim woman filed a claim demanding $250,000 from the Ferndale Police Department for being required to remove her headscarf during booking. The incident stems from a traffic stop in November 2023. According to police, Helina Bowe was pulled over on Eight Mile Road for displaying a license plate that did not belong to her vehicle. Officers say she informed them she had a taser, but a subsequent search revealed an illegal stun gun. She was arrested and taken to the police station for processing. It was during the standard booking procedure that the conflict arose. Bowe says she was "traumatized" when officers insisted she remove her hijab—a headscarf worn as an act of faith by many Muslim women—to be photographed. "I'm Muslim, so it's very important that I wear hijab. It's like a form of worship for me,...