CHICAGO — A muslim woman is suing the Chicago Police Department after an aggressive and intrusive incident that had her taken down by cops in a subway station under suspicions of terror.
On the 4th of July in 2015, Itemid Al-Matar was exiting a crowded Chicago subway station. A day of high alert for law enforcement, officers were monitoring an underground subway for potential terrorist activity. When they spotted Al-Matar, they immediately ran toward her and took her to the ground. Her hijab was ripped off her head in the scuffle.
Al-Mattar was later strip-searched at the police station. In a police report filed that day, the cops claimed she was exhibiting “suspicious behavior, walking at a brisk pace in a determined manner.” Her clothing and backpack also factored into suspicions, according to the report. She was also wearing ankle weights at the time, which police reportedly thought may have been explosive devices.
Though no proof validating the terror suspicions was uncovered, Al-Matar was still charged with obstructing justice. She has since been cleared of any wrongdoing, and has named six officers in this lawsuit.
