New York City has agreed to pay a whopping settlement after a pair of women claimed their rights were violated when they were forced to remove their hijabs for mugshots.
A hijab is not a full-body garment. It covers only the hair and neck.
The city said it will fork over the $17.5 million settlement, which still needs approval from Judge Analisa Torres of U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the New York Times reported Friday.
The case surrounds a 2018 class-action lawsuit involving a pair of Muslim women identified as Jamilla Clark and Arwa Aziz.
“Damages from the settlement, which total just over $13 million once administrative costs and lawyers’ fees are deducted, will be split among the thousands of people who are expected to file eligible claims.
