Muslim Family Forcibly Removed From Empire State Building for Praying, Lawsuit Claims

A Muslim family is suing the owners of the Empire State Building in New York City over purported religious discrimination, claiming that they were kicked out of the famed building's observation deck last summer for engaging in Islamic prayers.

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Fahad and Amina Tirmizi of Farmingville, N.Y., said in the lawsuit that they were unfairly targeted due to their religious garb and forcibly removed from the observation deck last July, the New York Post reported.

Fahan, 32, and Amina, 30, were with their two children in a quiet corner of the Empire State Building's 86th floor for evening prayers when the incident unfolded, according to the lawsuit.

They claim that two security guards approached, told them that they could not pray on the observation deck -- and then ejected them from the building.

Phil Hines, an attorney for the family, told the Post that the Empire State Building has become "a building of ignorance and injustice" for the Tirmizi family.

"A family trip to enjoy the cityscape was cut short after security officials threw them out of the building for exercising their religious beliefs," Hines said.

The $5 million lawsuit, which alleges the family was "assaulted" and "battered," was filed against building owner Malkin Properties (owner of Empire State Reality Trust) and security company Andrews International Inc., among others.

TheBlaze left a message for a representative for Empire State Reality Trust to learn more about the alleged incident.

Muslims traditionally pray five times per day, with two of these invocations taking place at sunset and later in the evening.

(H/T: NY Post)

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