Business & Tech

Muslim Woman Asked to Remove Head Veil at Mall Files Lawsuit

Former Bridgewater Commons security guard also files suit of his own.

A Muslim woman who was asked to remove her niqab, a head veil that covers her face and head, at Bridgewater Commons last year has filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination against mall owners, according to a news report.

The woman, Wakeelah Salaam, of Elizabeth, was allegedly approached by a mall security guard twice in May 2012 and told to remove the veil. The mall later apologized for the incident and released a statement saying that the mall encourages "shoppers of all diversities" to visit.

Salaam is now claiming that the security guard violated discrimination laws in the lawsuit she filed through Pamela Lynn Brause of Brause, Brause & Ventrice, LLC, according to NJ.com.

The attorney of Marc Krause, the former mall guard who had told Salaam to remove her head dress, told NJ.com that Krause has also filed his own lawsuit against the owners of Bridgewater Commons claiming wrongful firing for the incident. Krause's case is in the mediation phase but on hold while it is determined whether the two cases should be heard together, NJ.com reported.


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