'Brawl' Erupts When Hijab-Clad Women Turned Away From Amusement Park

Fifteen people were arrested in a “melee” that occurred at a Rye, New York amusement park after a group of Muslim women were denied entrance to some rides because of safety regulations banning any kind of headgear.

The park insisted that it had told the tour operator of the rules, but that may not have been conveyed to the 3,000 Muslim Society of New York members who came on an organized trip to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitre, a major holiday.

Most of the people were charged with disorderly conduct, though two people were charged with felony assault. According to the Westchester Journal News, two rangers were injured while breaking up a fight. But as the video above shows, the visitors saw major overreaction and escalation by law enforcement, some it caught on cell phone video. Here’s an account from 16-year-old Lola Ali:

She said the women were upset and yelling. She said the security officers started pushing them away and the girls stood their ground, at which point the security officers grabbed them, pushed them to the ground and handcuffed them.

Men within the park saw this and tried to intervene, Ali said, and the situation went downhill from there.

“They were beating down the girls, then they started beating down the guys,” she said of the security officers.

A cashier at the park told The Journal News that a hijab-clad woman pushed or hit or a ride operator, and when a police officer “tried to restrain” the woman, her husband objected and another fight began.

Fifteen Arrested In Playland Melee Over Headscarves [Journal News]
Ramadan Head Scarf Brawl Erupts At Rye Playland [NYP]