A Montreal man has filed a complaint with Quebec’s judicial council on behalf of a woman who was refused her day in court because she wouldn’t remove her hijab in court.
Jean-Pierre Lussier filed a complaint after a judge refused to hear Rania El-Alloul’s case against the Quebec automotive insurance board, which had temporarily seized her vehicle.
Lussier told local media that he doesn’t know El-Alloul and is not involved in the legal profession. But he said he felt compelled to do something in her defence.
The judicial council hasn’t confirmed receiving this complaint because the process is confidential.
Last week, El-Alloul went to court to try to retrieve the vehicle but Judge Eliana Marengo said that she wanted her courtroom to be secular and El-Alloul’s Islamic headscarf was inappropriate.
When El-Alloul wouldn’t remove her headscarf, the judge refused to hear her testify and the case was postponed.
The judge’s decision has drawn widespread condemnation from citizens, politicians and civil rights group. It also sparked a crowdsourcing campaign to help El-Alloul buy a new car. The campaign has raised more than $47,000 in just three days.
El-Alloul said she’s exploring her options, including filing her own complaint with Quebec’s judicial council.
The Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations says it will provide El-Alloul with support if she goes ahead with a complaint.
With files from CTV Montreal's Maya Johnson
