ACRL Files Complaint Against Oceana County Sheriff's Department Due to Forced Removal of Hijab

Thursday, May 28, 2015, the Arab-American Civil Rights League ("ACRL") held a press conference to announce a complaint against the Oceana County Sheriff's Department for the forced removal of Ms. Fatme Dakroub's hijab.

Ms. Dakroub was spending a weekend with her family on the west-side of the state when she was arrested for speeding in a off-road vehicle in a private parking lot. She was taken to the police station where she was repeatedly harassed and humiliated by officers and male inmates. She was forced to remove her hijab, leaving her within view of everyone that came in and out of the station, including numerous male officers and inmates, who went as far to make passes at Ms. Dakroub. Ms. Dakroub was left without her headscarf and with only a tank top on for more than four hours. She was later released after paying $160 for bail.

The Oceana County Sheriff's Department could have easily addressed this issue without the humiliating and dehumanizing conduct directed toward Ms. Dakroub. Dakroub's complaint seeks to address the nationwide issue of intolerance that is practiced by many law enforcement agencies when it comes to religious expression It further seeks to have law enforcement policies and procedures changed.