On March 11, 2025, ECBAWM Partner Andrew Wilson and client Shajnin Howlader spoke to CBS News about ECBAWM’s federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of New York and individual New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers for brutally assaulting and forcefully removing the hijabs of Ms. Howlader and Zarmeen Azam– two individuals who were peacefully protesting for Gaza. Mr. Wilson–who, along with associate Hafsa S. Mansoor, represents Ms. Howlader, Ms. Azam, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations New York (CAIR-NY)–discussed how these aggressive incidents of hijab removals by the NYPD are not outliers. In recent months, several women, in addition to Ms. Howlader and Ms. Azam, have reported that NYPD officers ripped off their hijabs during protests. At least five other women have shared similar experiences with CAIR-NY from incidents last June, July, August, and September.

Ms. Howlader told CBS News that this incident was humiliating for her and that no other person of any faith should experience their religious head covering ripped off by anyone. Ms. Howlader has expressed her commitment to fighting for justice for other hijabis who have faced similar assaults by the NYPD.

Watch the clip of Mr. Wilson and Ms. Howlader on CBS News here.