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  • Muslims Cab Drivers Shocked When They Were Forced To Obey The Law

    06.30.2015 | News | |

    New York City Muslim cabbies were outraged after being slapped with hefty fines for tying up traffic and double-parking outside a Manhattan mosque while they were inside saying Friday prayers for Ramadan.

    Mohammad Zaman, a New York City cab driver, claims that at least one officer handed out nearly 100 tickets on the streets surrounding the Islamic Cultural Center on the upper west side of Manhattan.

    Apparently New York’s Muslim cab drivers think it’s okay to double park on crowded Manhattan streets whenever they decide it’s time to pray.

    “This is a special prayer time, a time for religion. We double-park here every Friday and they [allow it], but today they gave us all tickets, almost 100 cabs,” he said.

    Zaman, who has been attending services at the mosque for nine years, was given a dreaded $115 citation for double parking.

    “I can’t help but to think they are being prejudiced,” he said. “They don’t understand. We have to be here.”

    “It is mandatory in our religion to come to the mosque every Friday. It’s our duty. Other places they are OK with double parking — people do it everywhere here — but now they won’t let us? Most of us only come for one hour,” said cabby Mohammad Choudhury.

    Driver M.D. Shomuz, a six-year worshiper at the mosque, also claimed that the ticketing started only recently.

    “No one has been given tickets before, but today ­everyone got one,” he said.

    Individual precincts may make accommodations in extenuating circumstances, such as the Ramadan observation, an NYPD spokesman said, but double parking is never authorized, particularly because emergency vehicles need to navigate the roads. A NYPD spokesperson said that while precincts can make exemptions, double parking is never authorized due to emergency vehicles.


    Alicia Powe

    Staff Writer

    Alicia Powe is a staff writer for Daily Surge. She worked in the War Room of the Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee and served as a White House Intern during the George W. Bush administration. Alicia has written for numerous outlets, including Human Events, Media Research Center and Townhall.com.

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