Cleveland Hopkins International Airport Officials, Muslim Cabbies to Discuss Prayer Concerns

March 21, 2009

Author: Stan Donaldson

Source: The Plain Dealer

http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1237624236252470.xml&coll=2

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport officials will meet Monday with Muslim taxi drivers to try to resolve an issue over a mandate the cabbies say bans them from praying as they wait to pick up passengers.

The call for a meeting came a day after a religious advocacy group - the Cleveland Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations - issued a news release that said it wanted to meet with Mayor Frank Jackson. The group wants to discuss an order a city-contracted group sent to taxi owners that banned drivers from praying in the taxi queue.

The council acted on behalf of 60 Somali cab drivers who work at the airport and who are Muslim.