A Florida county commissioners meeting was interrupted when a woman wearing a burka played a recording of the Islamic call to prayer. The disruption occurred during a public comment period addressing concerns over a local mosque’s potential expansion.
The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners was listening to residents when the woman approached the podium. With her face mostly covered but one eye visible, she played the recording without speaking. It remains unclear if this was a protest.
A woman wearing a burka was escorted out of a Pinellas County meeting after playing a recording of the Islamic call to prayer.
Board Chairman Dave Eggers interrupted the audio, stating that county rules require speakers to use verbal comments and not recordings.
Ma’am, you’re going to have to stop … stop the music, stop the tape.
When the woman refused, a deputy escorted her from the building, sparking debate among the audience members.
Eggers attempted to calm the room, asking for decorum and reiterating the board’s rules against using recordings.
We don’t allow taped things. We ask you to come here and make comments, and that was not a comment. That’s why she was asked to step out.
The incident coincided with public opposition to a recent board vote to approve a land-use amendment for the Masjid Al Rahman mosque. The amendment allows the property’s use to shift from residential to public, enabling a larger structure to be built.
Some residents opposed the expansion, criticizing Islam and its treatment of women. Others supported the mosque’s plans, stating local harmony between neighbors.
Commissioner Vince Nowicki raised concerns about the mosque not being described clearly in government documents.
Residents read these materials to understand what is being proposed near them, and they should get the same plain description in every case, no matter the applicant.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the woman was escorted without further incident and faced no charges.