Brooklyn, NY – A Muslim boy who was kicked off a bus two years ago is now suing the driver and New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority for discrimination.
According to the lawsuit, the boy boarded the bus and was searching for his Metro Card when he spoke a brief Muslim prayer to help him find it. The driver then allegedly called the boy a “terrorist,” kicked him off the bus, and left him stranded.
“He was two days shy of turning 11 when this happened, but he’s old enough to know what it feels like to be discriminated against,” The unidentified plaintiff’s attorney Hyder Naqvi told the New York Daily News .
The boy recited a common Muslim prayer, often uttered in difficult situations, reports Opposing Views . Translated from Arabic, it means “I stand in the name of God the most merciful, the most beneficent.”
Referred to as “C.S.” in the lawsuit (following New York laws regarding minors) the boy said that he was so hurt by the incident that he decided to not use public transportation again. Later, he became angry and decided to file his lawsuit.
The MTA sent a few reps to meet with the boy’s family after they heard of the incident, but have not revealed the name of the driver on the bus. That was when the family decided to get a lawyer. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for civil rights violations and religious discrimination. It was filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
‘He’s a young boy, but he’s old enough to know what discrimination is,” Naqvi said.
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