Muslims, police scuffle over theme park ban on head scarves

Rye Playland, a theme park was shut down yesterday after cops scuffled with Muslims upset that women wearing head scarves were barred from the rides, witnesses said

Muslims, police scuffle over theme park ban on head scarves

Rye Playland, a theme park was shut down yesterday after cops scuffled with Muslims upset that women wearing head scarves were barred from the rides, witnesses said.

Fifteen people, including three women, were charged with disorderly conduct and assault in the chaos, authorities said.

Around 100 cops converged at Rye Playland to appease
the crowd in which two park rangers were injured

The Westchester County park was packed with Muslims celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr.

One woman, Entisai Ali, began arguing with cops over the amusement park's head scarf, or hijab, rule, said Dena Meawad, of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

The ban, which is not Muslim specific, was imposed about three-years-ago mostly to prevent hats from falling onto the tracks of roller coasters and other rides, park officials said.

"The cops started getting loud with her and she started getting loud, too. They pushed her on the ground and arrested her," Meawad said.

Her cousin, Kareem Meawad, went to try to protect the woman and was beaten by cops and also arrested, she added.

Her brother, Issam Meawad was pushed to the ground and taken into custody when he tried to help his cousin, she said.

"She just wanted to get on a ride. That was it," Dena Meawad said of the initial confrontation. "It's clear, this all happened because we're Muslim."

John Hodges, chief inspector of Westchester County Public Safety, insisted that police did not use excessive force.

He said up to 100 cops from surrounding departments converged on the park.

Two park rangers were injured in the melee, prompting felony assault charges against two people arrested, officials said.

The park was closed for about two hours because of the fracas.

Peter Tartaglia, deputy commissioner of Westchester County Parks, said the Muslim American Society of New York was warned in advance of the rule barring head scarves on rides for safety reasons.