MEDIA ADVISORY

**FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION**

CAIR-Chicago Announces Settlement in Lawsuit Regarding Train Station Assault

(CHICAGO, IL, 1/28/2019) –Today the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago) called a press conference to announce the settlement of a lawsuit filed against the Chicago Police Department and six of its officers for their attack on a young Muslim woman on a subway platform on the Fourth of July in 2015.

On that day, Itemid Al-Matar (known as “Angel”) was walking up the stairs to a subway platform at the CTA State/Lake Red Line station when the six CPD officers rushed up to her and tackled her on the stairs. The officers searched her at the platform, removed her hijab and other clothes, then brought her to the police station where she was strip-searched, photographed, and humiliated by the officers during her booking.Following the assault, verbal abuse, and unwarranted search of her person and belongings, Angel was charged with resisting arrest and reckless misconduct. She was acquitted of all criminal charges in 2016.

In August 2016, CAIR-Chicago, along with the law firm of Gregory E. Kulis and Associates, filed a seven-count Federal lawsuit against the Department and the CPD officers alleging violations of Angel’s constitutional and civil rights as a result of the officers’ apparent profiling and their abuse of her while in police custody. The Complaint included counts for excessive force, false arrest, unlawful search, and malicious prosecution, among others. On January 23, the City of Chicago approved a settlement of the case and all counts for $160,000 dollars.

“We applaud the City’s decision to resolve this matter amicably at this point in the case, since it eliminates the necessity of a trial in which Angel would be forced to re-live the trauma of that fateful day in graphic detail,” said Phillip J. Robertson, Litigation Director for CAIR-Chicago. “We are also pleased that the City has taken this step to provide Angel some measure of relief and compensation for her shocking ordeal, so now she can begin to try to put this horrible incident behind her and continue with her studies here.”

“We are happy that the claims of Angel Al-Matar have been resolved,”Gregory E. Kulis of Gregory E. Kulis & Associates, Ltd. said. “This case rightfully received national and international attention; of a young Muslim woman’s plight of being attacked, arrested, disrobed, and strip-searched and criminally charged by Chicago Police. We consider this a great victory and statement for people of all religions.”

WHAT: Press Conference Announcing Angel Al-Matar’s Case Settlement

WHERE: The AZIMA Center at CAIR-Chicago

17 N. State Street, Suite 1500

Chicago, Il 60637

WHO: CAIR-Chicago, Angel Al-Matar, and Gregory E. Kulis & Associates Ltd.

WHEN: 11:00 AM Tuesday, January 29th, 2019.

CAIR-Chicago is the Chicago office of America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Our mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.

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CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz, 312-212-1520, spervaiz@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Asha Binbek, 312-212-1520, abinbek@cair.com