Daniel Pipes has written an article claiming that his home town of Philadelphia has "become the capital of the Western world as regards female Islamic garb as an accessory to crime".

According to Pipes, "the Philadelphia region has witnessed 14 robberies (or attempted robberies) of financial institutions in the past six years in which the thieves relied on an Islamic full-body cover". His solution? "Ban the niqab and burqa in public places, as the national governments in France and Belgium have recently done."

Joel Mathis points out some flaws in this argument:

It's important to understand, though, that Pipes' "crisis" looks a little less disturbing when looked at closely. He justifies a ban because, by his count, at least 14 robberies have been committed in Philadelphia using Muslim garb … since 2007. That's less than three a year. If you need more perspective, consider this: The 14 robberies that Pipes counts adds up to maybe one really busy shift for the police department. In the 28-day period ending Feb. 17, there were 507 robbery reports to city police – if 14 of those robberies had been committed by burqa-wearing assailants, that wouldn't even be 3 percent of the total. Trying to calculate what those 14 cases look like compared to six or more years of robberies? You couldn't even see a number that small with the naked eye.

So one doesn't have to be politically correct to respond to Pipes by saying we don't have a "burqa crisis." All one needs, really, is math.

The Philly Post, 26 February 2013

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The Muslim community in Philadelphia held a meeting venting frustrations over people committing crimes dressed in traditional Muslim garb.

"We have a right to wear a face veil if we choose to, that's our right, our God-given right," said Alia Walker.

Muslim women in West Philadelphia are becoming increasingly fearful.

This as the pressure mounts for the capture of the woman dressed in Muslim garb and her accomplice, who kidnapped a 5-year-old girl from her classroom and brutally assaulted her.

"Right now, a lot of the Muslim sisters are saying, 'People are walking around looking at them cross-eyed.' They haven't done anything wrong," said Rep. Ron Waters.

At a standing room only meeting to discuss the matter, Muslims expressed outrage that it's happening again and again.

Criminals have been committing crimes disguised as Muslim women – robbing banks, stores and now kidnapping. Violent crimes they fear put Muslim women in danger.

"We consider anyone dressing up like a Muslim woman perpetrating a hate crime," said Iman Asim Abdul Rashid.

WPVI Philadelphia, 2 February 2013

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Tahira B. El, a practicing Muslim, faced religious discrimination when she was fired by her employer, a security company providing guards to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, because she refused to remove a head scarf she wore for religious reasons, according to a federal lawsuit filed in Philadelphia on her behalf Wednesday by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The suit said that El, of Philadelphia, was hired by ABM Security Services, of California, to work at the center on Feb. 21, 2011. She was fired the next day, the suit said, when she showed up in uniform, wearing the khimar, which covers her hair and ears, but not her face.

Because the Convention Center did not employ El, it is not named in the suit, but "we would not prohibit anyone from expressing their religious beliefs," convention center director Ahmeenah Young said in a statement.

ABM said some clients require adherence to a strict uniform code. The company said in a statement that it was disappointed that EEOC filed the suit because El was given the opportunity to work elsewhere but declined.

Philadelphia Inquirer, 19 July 2012

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