Lawsuit Over "Muslim Free Establishment" Sign Dropped
24 April 2019, 11:40
A US Army reservist has dropped a lawsuit against an Oklahoma gun range after it agreed to remove a “Muslim free establishment” sign.
Court action was started in 2016 by Raja'ee Fatihah, a Muslim man from Tulsa, against the owners of Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gun Range.
Gun range owners, Chad and Nicole Neal, posted a sign on the business declaring the range a "Muslim-free" establishment and asked him to leave.
Mr Fatihah said that he is an active Army reservist and shoots regularly to maintain his proficiency in marksmanship.
He claims that things took a" frightening turn," when the owners of the gun range found out his religion.
He said the owners of the range grabbed their handguns and demanded to know whether he was there to “commit an act of violence” or as part of a “jihad.”
Both sides have declared victory in the case after they agreed to file a dismissal order.
Heather Weaver, of the American Civil Liberties Union said: "We are pleased that the defendants, in this case, decided to take down their anti-Muslim sign and that they affirmed their commitment to complying with the law."
The store's owner maintained the sign is political free speech protected under the First Amendment and that Muslims were never banned from the business.
The sign has been replaced by one declaring the business is a "terrorist free establishment."
