CAIR denounces arrest of pro-Palestine protester for wearing keffiyeh in US

The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations has denounced the arrest of a pro-Palestinian protester wearing a keffiyeh, calling it a proof that the local law is being used as a “silencing tactic” against pro-Palestine protesters.

“Barring other criminal misconduct, wearing a keffiyeh or a mask does not make you suspicious,” Lamya Agarwala, supervising attorney for the organisation, said in a statement.

“Using this policy to arrest protesters is an affront to our fundamental rights as Americans.”

A pro-Palestine protester wearing a keffiyeh scarf has been charged with violating a suburban New York City county’s new law banning face masks in public, reviving fears from opponents that the statute is being used to diminish free speech rights.

Police said the 26-year-old North Bellmore resident was arrested Sunday afternoon during a protest in front of Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst, an orthodox synagogue near the New York City borough of Queens.

Nassau County Police Department spokesperson Scott Skrynecki said Thursday that officers questioned the man because he had been concealing his face with a keffiyeh, which has become a symbol of support for the Palestinian people.

The man confirmed he was wearing it in solidarity with Palestinians, he was placed under arrest. He was eventually released with a notice to appear in court on October 2.

Videos showing some of the arrests have been shared on social media. They show the man wearing the keffiyeh around his neck as he’s led away by officers in handcuffs and continues to lead others in pro-Palestine chants.

The man didn’t respond to calls and social media messages seeking comment Thursday.

Rachel Hu, a spokesperson for ANSWER Coalition, which organised a rally this week against the arrest, said the man is currently seeking legal counsel and won’t be commenting on the case until then.

She added that organisers believe the man was targeted as one of the leaders of Pro-Palestine protest movements on Long Island.

“We feel that this arrest (and this ban overall) was aimed at intimidating known activists to discourage us from using our first amendment right to protest,” Hu wrote in an email.

Fired for wearing keffiyehs

Earlier this month, three employees of the Noguchi Museum in New York City were fired from their jobs for wearing keffiyehs.

A fourth employee, the director of visitor services at the museum, was also fired following the dress code changes, the New York Times reported, without confirming whether he was sacked for wearing a keffiyeh.

In August, the museum announced a policy prohibiting employees from wearing clothing or accessories that display "political messages, slogans, or symbols."

The ban, which does not affect visitors or staff outside of working hours, was implemented after several employees had been wearing keffiyehs to work for months, the report said.

The keffiyeh has long been a symbol of Palestinian symbol, exemplified by the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat, who was rarely photographed without one.

In November, three students of Palestinian descent in Vermont were shot in an attack under investigation as a suspected hate-motivated crime. Two of them were wearing the keffiyeh.

There are previous instances in the United States of people losing jobs due to their stance on Israel's brutal war in Gaza.

A New York City hospital fired a Palestinian American nurse in May after she called Israel's actions in Gaza a "genocide" during an acceptance speech for an award.