Rabat – A restaurant in the French town of Etretat, Normandy, refused a Muslim family a table on the grounds that the mother of the family was wearing a veil and of the Muslim faith, reports the regional newspaper Paris-Normandy.
The father of the family, Mohsen Zemni, told the news organization that a waiter denied their entrance to the terrace of the restaurant La Belle Epoque, who instead proposed they sit at the bottom of the establishment.
“I asked him if it was the veil of my wife that was problematic,” Zemni told 76actu news site. “He just reiterated that for us it was at the back of the room.”
According to Zemni, other guests were sitting on the terrace at the time of his family’s denial and the refusal was based on Islamophobia.
In response, the day after the incident, Zemni filed a complaint online and wrote the mayor of Etretat, Catherine Millet.
“I will inquire with the institution because I have only one version of the facts. But if its the truth, it’s intolerable,” Millet said. “Of course, I will answer Mr. Zemni and I will try to reach the restaurant, but so far the communication is very difficult. We have only trade through registered letters.”
According to Millet, La Belle Epoque is currently in a dispute with the municipality for illegally constructing a covered terrace in an already narrow street.
The restaurant did not immediately respond to Morocco World News’ request for comment.
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