The Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced that it has submitted a formal complaint with the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) on behalf of Ms. Adina Cohen, a Jewish resident of Montgomery County who was banned from Club Pilates – North Bethesda for wearing attire that expressed her sincerely held religious beliefs calling for peace and opposition to genocide.
CAIR’s complaint alleges that Club Pilates North Bethesda engaged in religious discrimination and denial of public accommodations in violation of Maryland State Government Code Ann. § 20-304, which prohibits discrimination in places open to the public based on creed.
According to the complaint, Ms. Cohen — whose Jewish creed of tikkun olam compels her to oppose injustice and affirm the sanctity of all human life — regularly attended classes at Club Pilates locations in Montgomery County. As part of her religious expression, she occasionally wore shirts that read “Jews Say Cease Fire Now,” “Let Gaza Live,” and “I am Jewish, I Stand with Palestine.”
In September 2025, after months of tension with studio management, Ms. Cohen received an email from the franchise owner permanently banning her from the North Bethesda location. The message accused her of wearing “incendiary attire” and stated that her presence was “intentionally disruptive.”
CAIR’s complaint notes that other patrons were observed wearing shirts with Israeli flags, “Love is Love” designs, and Black Lives Matter pins — none of whom were reprimanded or banned — indicating selective enforcement based on Ms. Cohen’s religious creed and expression.
“As a Jewish woman, my faith teaches me that preserving life and standing against injustice are sacred duties,” said the complainant Adina Cohen. “Wearing clothes that reflect my values is an expression of my conscience and creed — not a provocation. Being banned from a public fitness studio for that expression is deeply hurtful. I hope my case helps affirm that no one should be punished for practicing their faith or conscience peacefully.”
“No one should be punished or shunned for peacefully expressing their sincerely held religious beliefs,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “When a patron is banned from an establishment for wearing shirts that affirm the sanctity of all life and call for peace, that’s not neutrality — that’s discrimination.”
The complaint requests that the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights investigate the incident, order reinstatement of Ms. Cohen’s membership, and require a written apology and corrective action by Club Pilates North Bethesda to ensure compliance with state civil rights laws.
The civil rights group frequently advocates on behalf of individuals facing discrimination in places of public accommodation and seeks the right to equal access, dignity, and freedom of conscience for people of all faiths and backgrounds.
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.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, ihooper@cair.com