Temple PD: ‘no evidence that a hijab was pulled off by police’
Temple University suspended its chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine following the disruption of a campus career fair last month, but the local Council on American-Islamic Relations is accusing police of removing an activist’s hijab.
According to The Temple News, the temporary suspension of SJP includes “all operations related” to the group “including meetings, activities, socials and philanthropic events.”
The four SJP members who ended up arrested for disrupting the College of Engineering event had their charges dropped by the Philadelphia DA’s Office; however, the Temple Department of Public Safety said it would provide [the Office with] additional materials to charge the four individuals.”
A Temple spokesperson noted “Failure to abide by university policies and these guidelines has consequences for student organizations as well as individual students.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the city chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, called the Temple SJP suspension “another example of an ‘increasingly hostile campaign to suppress any criticism of Israel and to criminalize Muslim students.’”
CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu said it is “always wrong to suspend student groups for activism,” and criticized Temple for claiming it is “open to talking.”
CAIR claimed police took off recent Temple grad Johara Shamaa’s hijab for her mug shot, and subsequently “denied her right to wear the head scarf while she was being detained.”
CAIR Legal Director Adam Attia called the situation a “humiliating violation” and “serious defilement.”
MORE: Plagued by campus crime, Temple president resigns
In a statement, Shamaa said police left her “feeling profoundly exposed” and that her “identity and beliefs have been violated.”
“However,” Shamaa continued, “I recognize and understand that any pain, suffering, humiliation that I went through and the other protesters went through is nothing in comparison to what our brothers, our families and loved ones in Gaza and all of Palestine are facing.”
CAIR also alleged police had “shoved” and “grabbed” activists during a scuffle.
(Attia referenced the Philadelphia PD in his statement, but CAIR at large called for a “comprehensive investigation” into both the Philly PD and Temple PD and said it will “pursue all legal options.”)
In response to these and other allegations, Temple Public Safety noted in a statement that:
— There is no evidence that a hijab was pulled off by police. On the contrary, the individual was assisted by TUPD and a fellow student when the hijab slipped from covering her hair.
— There is no evidence that protestors were ‘brutalized,’ or ‘placed in a chokehold’.
— There is no evidence that any demonstrator was pushed down the stairs.
— There is no evidence that anyone had their top pulled off to reveal their chest.
— There is no evidence that anyone was groped.
Pennsylvania State Representative Chris Rabb, who according to his X bio is a “rabble rouser” and uses “he/him” pronouns, spoke out in favor of the Temple SJP protesters.
“I do not like the politics of its administration,” Rabb said. “I do not like the fact that they’re using resources that are subsidized by Pennsylvanians to surveil, to intimidate, to harass, to brutalize, to suspend, to retaliate against people who are expressing their views.”
MORE: Temple public safety chief called campus cop ‘punk’ and ‘loser’: report
IMAGE: Rommel Canlas/Shutterstock.com
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