Headscarf fight reaches Nassau town hall: Muslim residents press North Hempstead board to condemn Blakeman's "Hijab Hochul" post; three council members sign a letter, the supervisor and three others have not
At the Tuesday, Sept. 8 North Hempstead Town Board meeting, Muslim residents asked officials to condemn Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's social-media post captioned "Hijab Hochul. Kathy's Latest Costume: Whatever the Audience Wants," saying it was hurtful and fed Islamophobia. Resident Ali Mohamed asked the board's Republicans to sign a letter condemning the post; Council Members Robert Troiano Jr., Christine Liu and Mariann Dalimonte had signed the letter Troiano drafted. Speakers pressed Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and Council Members Dennis Walsh, Edward Scott and Yaron Levy, who had not signed, to add their names. Per Long Island Press, Sept. 9. The controversy row "Headscarf backlash and the 9/11 25th-anniversary commemoration" remains active.