Muslim Woman Says Chicago Police Officers Ripped Off Her Hijab, Suit Says

By JULIA JACOBO - Aug 11, 2016, 7:01 PM ET

A Muslim woman says that Chicago police officers ripped off her hijab and niqab as she walked up the staircase to a train and accused her of being a "terrorist," according to a federal lawsuit and her lawyer.

Chicago resident Itemid "Angel" Al-Matar filed a federal lawsuit today against six Chicago police officers and the City of Chicago, alleging that the officers used excessive force, made a false arrest, violated religious expression and undertook malicious prosecution against her. The lawsuit was filed by both her attorney, Gregory Kulis, and the Chicago chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Kulis told ABC News that his client was on her way home on July 4, 2015 when Chicago police stopped her as she walked up the stairs to a Chicago Transit Authority station. As she was walking, Al-Matar noticed a group of officers pointing at her, according to a civil complaint. (page 2)

Al-Matar continued up the stairs and walked past the group of officers along with several other people, court documents say. She was then thrown to the ground at the stair landing, and her hijab was ripped off, documents say. The actions of the officers were "intentional, willful and with malice," according to the complaint. (p. 2 and 15)

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