A man from North Carolina pleaded guilty last Friday to ripping off a Muslim woman’s hijab on a flight from Chicago to Albuquerque, New Mexico, last December.
Gill Parker Payne, 37, of Gastonia, pleaded guilty to one count of using force or threat of force to intentionally obstruct a Muslim woman in the free exercise of her religious beliefs.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on 11 December 2015, when Payne and the woman, identified only as “K.A.”, were on board a Southwest Airlines flight.
Court records show that Payne was seated several rows behind Ms K.A. on the airplane, and did not know her.
Payne admitted to authorities that he saw that Ms K.A. was wearing a hijab and was aware that it is a religious practice of Muslim women to wear the headscarf.
Payne also admitted that just before landing, but while still in-flight, he walked up the aisle to where Ms K.A. was sitting and stopped next to her seat.
He then told the woman to take off her hijab, stating, “Take it off! This is America!”
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Payne then grabbed the back of the hijab and pulled it all the way off, leaving the woman’s entire head exposed.
Court documents show that the woman said she felt violated and quickly put the hijab back on and covered her head again.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, issued a statement saying:
“No matter one’s faith, all Americans are entitled to peacefully exercise their religious beliefs free from discrimination and violence. Using or threatening force against individuals because of their religion is an affront to the fundamental values of this nation, and the Civil Rights Division will continue to be vigilant in protecting the religious liberties guaranteed to all Americans.”
A sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
