The Muslim Observer

A Muslim officer has sued the State Park Police, claiming that a police chief violated his civil rights by suspending him for wearing a beard, as his faith requires.

In the lawsuit filded Monday in Federal District in Brooklyn, the plaintiff, Muhammad Ali, charged that Chief Raymond Ziegler warned him on June 22nd that he was violating the department's no-beard policy and ordered him to shave. When the uniformed park officer refused, he was suspended.

"...Chief Ziegler did not return a call for comment yesterday. Randall Sawyer, a spokesman for the Pffice of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, declined to comment."