Skip to main content
Sojourners
faith in action for social justice
Sojourners
About
About SojournersEventsOur TeamWork With UsMediaWays to GiveInvite a SpeakerContact Us
SojoAction
OverviewTake ActionIssue AreasResourcesFaith-Rooted AdvocatesChurch Engagement
Magazine
Current IssueArchivesManage My SubscriptionWrite for Sojourners
Sections
LatestPoliticsColumnsLiving FaithArts & CultureGlobalPodcastsVideoPreaching The Word
Subscribe
MagazineRenewPreaching the WordCustomer ServiceNewsletters
Donate
Login / Register

Muslims Criticize Bloomberg Veto of NYPD Watchdog

By Omar Sacirbey
Photo courtesy RNS/Flickr.
Michael Bloomberg speaks in April 2009. Photo courtesy RNS/Flickr.
Jul 26, 2013
Share

Muslim-American civil rights groups are criticizing New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for vetoing a bill on Tuesday that would have created an independent inspector general to oversee the New York City Police Department.

The New York City Council passed the bill June 27 as a check against controversial NYPD policies that critics say violate the civil rights of Muslim and other minority New Yorkers. Reports that the NYPD spied on mosques, Muslim businesses, organizations, and students began surfacing in 2011.

“The NYPD is out of control and discriminates against innocent Americans, and Mayor Bloomberg has let Americans down by allowing the NYPD to use discriminatory policies without any accountability,” said Glenn Katon, legal director for Muslim Advocates, a civil rights group based in San Francisco.

Critics say the surveillance program has caused many Muslims to stop going to Islamic institutions or speaking out in public, worried it could land them in legal troubles.

The bill would have made it easier to bring racial profiling lawsuits against the NYPD.

Muslim Americans hope the City Council, which passed the oversight bill with a veto-proof majority of 40 to 11, will be able to override the veto.

“Even though we wish he had supported the bill, this still gives us a chance to advocate and educate people about profiling, and how it’s counterproductive to good policing,” said Sadyia Khalique, a spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ New York chapter. “This is bad not just for Muslims, but also blacks, Latinos, and other minorities.”

Bloomberg has been a paradox to many Muslims who welcomed his support when a proposal to build a mosque near Ground Zero came under vitriolic attacks. But they’ve been disappointed in his support for the surveillance program and opposition to creating school holidays on two major Muslim holidays.

Omar Sacirbey is a Boston-based correspondent for Religion News Service and other publications. Via RNS.

Got something to say about what you're reading? We value your feedback!

Tell Us What You Think!

We value your feedback on the articles we post. Please fill out the form below, and a member of our online publication team will receive your message. By submitting this form, you consent to your comment being featured in our Letters section. 

Please do not include any non-text characters, such as emojis or other non-standard content, into your submission.  It may cause errors in submitting the form.  Thanks!

Don't Miss a Story!

Sojourners is committed to faith and justice even in polarized times. Will you join us on the journey?
Confirm Your Email Address.
By entering your email we'll send you our newsletter each Thursday. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Michael Bloomberg speaks in April 2009. Photo courtesy RNS/Flickr.
Search Sojourners

Subscribe

Magazine Newsletters Preaching The Word
Follow on Facebook Follow on Bluesky Follow on Instagram Subscribe to our RSS Feed
Sojourners
Donate Products Editorial Policies Privacy Policy

Media

Advertising Press

Opportunities

Careers Fellowship Program

Contact

Office
408 C St. NE
Washington DC, 20002
Phone 202-328-8842
Fax 202-328-8757
Email sojourners@sojo.net
Unless otherwise noted, all material © Sojourners 2025