A woman in a full burka was escorted out of a Pinellas County commissioners meeting after playing an Islamic call to prayer during public comment.
Board Response
Board Chairman Dave Eggers told the crowd that county rules require spoken comments, not recordings, and ordered the woman to stop the tape. When she refused, a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office deputy removed her from the room and the building without further incident.
Audience members shouted and argued with Eggers over the removal.
Police Confirmation
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the woman was taken out without incident and will face no criminal charges.
The recording played for nearly a minute before Eggers intervened.
Broader Context
Similar tensions have surfaced in other Florida cities where religious prayers and symbols divide public meetings.
