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Empire State Building Pays Muslims Kicked Out for Praying

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Fahad (left) and Amina(middle) Tirmizi filed a federal lawsuit against the Empire State Building (right) in 2013.

A Muslim family from Long Island has received a settlement from the owners of the Em-pire State Building after they filed a law suit for being thrown out of the skyscrapers ob-servation deck by a security guard for praying, according to a report by the Post.

According to the federal lawsuit filed by Fahad and Amina Tirmizi, on July 2, 2013 at approximately 11 p.m. they began quietly reciting their evening prayers with their two young children in a tranquil out cove on the deck of the 86th floor. In the middle of their private ritual, two security personnel reportedly violently intervened.

The suit that was filed by the couple in Manhattan federal court last year was seeking $5 million in damages.

The lawsuit stated that Amina prayed undisturbed for a moment, before Fahad was “menacingly poked” by a guard who told him he was not permitted to pray on the deck. The family was told by another guard who then arrived on the scene that they had to leave. According to the suit, the guard “forcibly escorted” them to the lobby and out the building.

The Farmingville couple’s suit said, “The Empire State Building has an unlawful [policy] that subjects Muslims to greater and/or heightened suspicion, security and/or surveillance compared to other religious and nonreligious individuals.”

The Post reported that Philip Hines, the Tirmizis’ lawyer, declined to comment on the confidential settlement. Also, the Empire State Building’s lawyer cited the confidentiality agreement and declined comment

“I’m not allowed to talk about it,” Fahad said, as he was leaving his home with Amina.

Last year he told the Post that he is respectful when praying in public and had even done so earlier with a cop’s permission.

He said, “We weren’t doing anything wrong. We just wanted to enjoy the view like eve-ryone else. Earlier that same day at the Staten Island Ferry terminal, I needed to pray the afternoon prayer and wanted to make sure I’m not in the way.”

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