CAIR to sue Florida gun shop over 'Muslim-free' policy

Shop owwer says he will “not arm and train those who wish to do harm to my fellow patriots”

Responding promptly to a case of religious discrimination, the Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) has filed a lawsuit against a gun shop declared to be ‘Muslim-free zone’.

Earlier this month, gun shop owner Andy Hallinan had declared his shop ‘free of the Muslim community’. Elaborating, he said he would “not arm and train those who wish to do harm to my fellow patriots” at his shop ‘Florida Gun Supply’ located in Inverness, while drawing national media attention.

Read: Florida gun shop owner declares store 'Muslim-free zone'

Hallinan declared he had “a moral and legal responsibility” to take actions days after a Muslim-American man ran amok, shooting indiscriminately at two Chattanooga Military establishments, killing four Marines and one Navy sailor.

The lawsuit, filed by the CAIR-FL, demands the court to prohibit the gun shop owner from discriminating against Muslims by making such policies, capable of segregating a people on the basis of religion, on his own.

The complainants argued that to generalise a whole community because of a one single person and his actions is uncalled for and unwarranted.

Hallinan had agreed to meet Hassan Shibly – CAIR-FL’s executive director – and train him but Hallinan cancelled his invitation after receiving legions of e-mails warning him that CAIR had its name on the United Arab Emirates’ terror list.

Although not name as Plaintiff in the lawsuit, Shibly asserted that the case is about countering the ‘illegal’ policy of the shop owner by not allowing Muslims in, segregating the community on the basis of their religion.

CAIR has said in its complaint filed in US District Court in Ft. Lauderdale that Muslims have a right to purchase guns, browse guns, take classes on gun safety, shoot guns at the range, and visit the gun range for entertainment purposes and not be discriminated against."

"Unfortunately, he caved in to a lot of the anti-Muslim pressure and anti-Muslim base that he's pandering to," Shibly told USA TODAY. "The main issue is that we don't want segregation to rear its ugly head again in Florida. When he refused to reconsider his position, when he refused to reconsider to be educated, refused to engage this community, refused to respect American law, we had no choice but to bring forward this lawsuit."

In an interview with the newspaper, Hallinan said that he had not been served with the lawsuit and called the litigation “rubbish”, while his attorney, Robert Muise, called the case ‘bogus’ as according to him in this case, Muslims were not being discriminated.

"If there is anyone that is being turned away, they are being turned away for public safety," Muise added. "It is bogus, frivolous and it will play itself out here over the coming weeks and months.