The front page of the Grand Rapids Press today:

Veiled Islamic woman kicked off bus still upset. (Hat tip: Spenser.)

Note: even though Grand Rapids has rescinded their rule against riding the bus while wearing a full face mask, and issued a public apology to her, her humiliation continues unabated.

“I cannot express enough how this has devastated me. I was hurt. I was humiliated. I wanted to cry,” said Douglas, who broke down in tears while being interviewed. “I didn’t tell my family members. I didn’t tell anyone at first. But I have a daughter and I don’t want her to be ashamed to cover her face.”

Douglas, who does not have a car, said she has not felt comfortable riding the bus since the July 3 incident and instead has relied on taxi cabs or rides from family. Since September, attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union working on her behalf have been in talks with the transit agency.

Her attorney, Miriam Aukerman, said while the ACLU’s focus is on changing the policy and ensuring The Rapid trains its employees to be sensitive to religious issues, they believe Douglas should receive a cash settlement. “She’s a low-income person … she doesn’t feel she can ride the bus again … she’s got to have a way to get around town,” Aukerman said. “We think some compensation is appropriate, given what happened.”

Aukerman would not discuss the details of her negotiations and would not rule out legal action. “It’s not enough to say, ‘We made a mistake,’ it’s important to know how you could have a policy approved like this at the top levels of The Rapid,” Aukerman said. “It’s not like anyone would dream of saying to a nun or an Amish woman or a black person, you’re not allowed to board the bus.”