(CANTON, MI, 8/16/2023) – On Thursday, August 17, the Michigan chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, plans to hold a press conference to launch its report, “Lifting the Veil on Racial Profiling in Ferndale,” which highlights the findings of an investigation into the city of Ferndale’s Police Department’s policing practices along the 8 Mile Road border it shares with the city of Detroit.
WHAT: CAIR-MI Press Conference Launching Investigative Report “Lifting the Veil On Racial Profiling In Ferndale”
WHEN: Thursday, August 17, 2023, at 10 a.m.
WHERE: CAIR-MI’s Office 1905 S. Haggerty Road, Suite 5, Canton, MI 48188
CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid (248) 842-1418, dwalid@cair.com;
BACKGROUNDER:
In October 2021, CAIR-MI filed a lawsuit against the city of Ferndale after an African-American Muslim woman was stopped by Ferndale Police Department while traveling along 8 Mile Road inside the city of Detroit and subsequently arrested and forcibly stripped of her hijab for a booking photo.
SEE: CAIR-MI files lawsuit against Ferndale alleging forced removal of woman’s hijab
CAIR-MI raised concerns about the city of Ferndale Police Department’s pattern and practice of patrolling 8 Mile Road inside the city inappropriately and about the disparity found on Ferndale’s Transparency Dashboard related to the percentage of stops and arrests by the Ferndale Police of African-Americans in light of the small number of African-Americans living in that city.
As a result of these concerns, CAIR-MI conducted an investigation into the seemingly disproportionate impact of Ferndale Police’s practices on individuals of color utilizing documents obtained pursuant to several Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests as well as information publicly available on Ferndale’s Transparency Dashboard.
At the press conference, CAIR-MI will present the findings of the two-year investigation and present its official report detailing the investigation.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
END CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director, Dawud Walid (248) 842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR-MI Staff Attorney, Amy V. Doukoure (586) 943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com