London: A 19-year-old Muslim student with hijab was stopped from placing an order in a McDonald’s restaurant in north London, according to a media report.
The girl was in the McDonald’s outlet on Seven Sister’s road in Holloway when a guard asked her to take off the hijab if she wanted to queue up for ordering food, The Independent reported.
“It’s just a matter of taking it (hijab) off,” the guard told the girl.
She responded: “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 okay.”
Another customer intervened to defend the girl, a British Muslim of Middle Eastern descent, but was told by the guard: “It’s none of your business.”
The restaurant later issued an apology and said it has suspended the security guard involved in the incident.
In a statement, McDonald’s said it has no policy which restricts or prevents anyone wearing a hijab, or any other religious attire, from entering our restaurants.
“We welcome customers of all faiths and sincerely apologise for this situation. We are taking this matter very seriously and are addressing the situation with the
individuals involved; the security guard, from a third party company, has been suspended,” it said.
PTI