Teaneck Cops Arrest Council Meeting Citizen Attenders at Mayor’s Demand
On Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, a grim declaration resounded through the halls of Teaneck – the death of freedom of speech. Layla Graham, a steadfast resident, engaged in an act of civil disobedience during a Township council meeting. With a sign held high and an audible alarm sounding off at ten-minute intervals, Layla sought to draw attention to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. However, her peaceful protest was met with an excessive display of force.
When an older gentleman yelled out in her defense, the mayor decided that he also must be removed. Layla stood up in his defense and told the officers to get their hands off of this elderly man. When Layla passively resisted the officer’s instructions to leave, she was violently knocked down by an officer and dragged across the floor, her dignity and rights trampled for all to witness. Amanda lept to Layla’s defense by loudly pleading with the police not to harm her.
Layla then stood outside the council building and her friend, Amanda, voluntarily joined her. As evident in the council meeting footage provided, Amanda was never told to leave the meeting by either the Mayor or the Council. However, Amanda followed Layla and stayed outside with her for moral support. After some time, Amanda walked back into the building to speak at the meeting, when they were abruptly arrested. Layla, who was outside at the time, was also arrested for taking a step inside the public building to object to Amanda’s arrest. The absurdity of the situation became apparent to the community.
We strongly condemn this gross abuse of power and label it a false arrest. The officers responsible were ill-prepared and lacked the necessary guidance to handle the situation with dignity. De-escalation techniques were not even considered before resorting to such drastic measures.
Our condemnation is resolute, and we refuse to remain silent as our community members are subjected to the whims of the Mayor. We are deeply disappointed by Mayor Pagan’s failure to exhibit leadership in this crisis. This was an opportunity for him to demonstrate compassion and understanding, yet he failed to do so.
The violation of Ms. Graham’s constitutionally protected religious freedom is blatant and cannot be overlooked. The forcible removal of her niqab and parts of her hijab, thereby exposing her modesty to the world, is a grave infringement upon her rights and dignity. Furthermore, this act symbolically stripped away not just Ms. Graham’s religious attire, but also laid bare the bigotry and hate that lurks within our community.
Such actions cannot be tolerated in a society that claims to uphold principles of freedom and equality. We demand accountability for those responsible and immediate measures to rectify the harm inflicted upon Layla, Amanda, and our community as a whole.
Furthermore, the tolerance of divisive rhetoric by certain council members further exacerbates the situation. It is imperative that our leaders prioritize inclusivity and safety for all residents.
We implore the council to take immediate and decisive action to rectify this heinous injustice and to prevent similar incidents in the future. Our community deserves better treatment, and we will not relent in our pursuit of justice.
Whilst we share the desire for meetings to return to order, it’s crucial to acknowledge that the council’s actions dragged us into international affairs with the divisive resolution passed in October. This resolution has stirred unrest within our community, contributing to the tensions we now face. As we seek to address the recent events, it’s essential to recognize and rectify the broader issues at play.
Teaneck Muslims Citizens feel Unseen and Unheard with the continued One sided racism of Mayor and Town Council
Our First Amendment no longer exists in Teaneck,NJ for some! Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
from Teaneck Concerned Constituents
Click picture to see clip of repression on Instagram.
