LONDON- McDonald’s has offered an apology after a 19-years-old Muslim student was told she can’t enter the restaurant while wearing Hijab. The incident took place on Thursday at McDonald’s branch on Seven Sister’s Road in Holloway, London.
the 19-years-old, who has requested to keep her identity anonymous, recorded the video of the employee telling her that she will not be served until she removes her hijab.
The video was shared by her friend, who goes by the name of Sabrina, on Twitter and got the attention of media. According to Sabrina her friend was denied services at McDonald’s because she was wearing a Hijab. The victim started to record the incident and was told to stop but didn’t. Another customer present at the outlet jumped in and defended the teenage student against the security guard and employees at the store.
My friend was refused service at a McDonalds today in London because she was wearing a Hijab. When she started recording the incident, she was told to stop but thankfully didn’t. Thank you to the kind man who defended her against the security guard and employees at the store…
— Sabrina (@south_sab) November 30, 2017
We will be contacting the relevant authorities to ensure this is dealt with. It is disgusting that hate crimes and discrimination are so prevalent in this country, especially in such a diverse city like London. We cannot be silent bystanders to this hate.
— Sabrina (@south_sab) November 30, 2017
Sabrina also shared the video captured by her friend.
Here is the video of the incident, occurring at McDonald’s on Seven Sister’s Road in Holloway, London. pic.twitter.com/07acmBYdjB
— Sabrina (@south_sab) December 1, 2017
In the video, the young student, who is a British Muslim of Middle Eastern descent, asks the guard why she cannot come into the McDonald’s. To which he responds: “It’s just a matter of taking it off.”
She replies, “It’s not just a matter of taking it off. I wear this for religious reasons and I’m not ashamed of it, and I will stand in line and I will get the food I want because this isn’t OK,”.
McDonald’s has apologized to the student saying that the security guard pushed her to remove headscarf because of security reasons.
