World

Paris restaurant refuses to serve Muslim women

Chef says 'all Muslims are terrorists'

News Desk August 29, 2016

Videos posted on social media appear to show the chef refusing to serve two Muslim customers. PHOTO: Youtube

A video posted online appeared to show two Muslim women in France being told to leave a restaurant by a man, reportedly the restaurant’s chef, who termed all Muslims "terrorists".

“The terrorists are Muslim and all Muslims are terrorists… They recently killed a priest. This is a secular country and I have a right to an opinion,” the man said in the video released on Sunday. "People like you, I don't want them here," he continued, "you are imposing yourself here [...] get out."

The incident reportedly took place on the Saturday at the Le Cenacle restaurant, which is on the 2016 Michelin guide, located in Tremblay-en-France, an area in the suburbs of Paris.

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The women, one of whom appeared in the video wearing a headscarf, said they would leave. “I do not wish to be served by a racist,” she is heard saying. The footage of the incident at the restaurant has been shared widely on social media.

On Sunday, members of the local Muslim community gathered outside the restaurant in protest, which led the man to eventually apologise and reveal that his friend was killed in the attack on the Bataclan in November, 2015. The CCIF (Committee Against Islamophobia in France) has issued a statement of support to the two women and pledged to give “emotional and legal support” to them.

"What kills me in the scandalous video #Cenacle is the indifference of other clients," the committee's director Marwan Muhammed said on Twitter. In a message on Twitter, Laurence Rossignol, the French minister for families, children and women's rights said she had ordered an investigation and called for sanctions against the "intolerable behaviour" of the restaurant's manager.

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According to Le Parisien, the chef has now been interviewed by police on suspicion of enacting “racial discrimination.” He has since told local media, “I spoke out of turn and I apologise, I have a friend who died in the Bataclan attack and wrongly mixed everything up. I do not truly believe the things I said, my comments did not reflect what I really think.”

Some people took to Twitter to express their anger, starting the hashtag #Cenacle.

One day, just one day without the feeling that apartheid is coming. Is that too much to ask? #Cenacle
— Djamé.. (@zehavoc) August 28, 2016

https://twitter.com/RimSarah/status/769838234574684160

https://twitter.com/Arsenalista5/status/769855638197440512

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This article originally appeared on The Independent.

COMMENTS (18)

Mostly Bull | 8 years ago | Reply @Unknown: "Look at you. Go to any country in the world and Indians are spread like pest and they are asking others to go back to their countries. Every neighborhood in England is sick of curry smell from Indian homes and yet they think they are very popular" So so with it mate, now, aren't you? yes, where indeed is the doubt...paks are the most popular people in the whole world. Kick all those Indians out..so what if they've got brains, are law-abiding, make tons of money for the host countries and don't involve themselves in terrorist stuff...kick them out.

Rana | 8 years ago | Reply @Unknown: : Tell me one Indian who did terrorism in these countries.Chinese migrant are more than Indian .Have you ever heard any chinese doing terrorism.

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Super fed up | 8 years ago | Reply What rules? Not hijab but Niqab is banned. Get to know the difference between the two by removing your biased, tinted glasses.@Rahul:

Unknown | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: There is no one more stupid than you who is calling the subject of a news as stupid and asking people to discuss other news on the current news thread. You are obviously a graduate from Raiwand public school

Unknown | 8 years ago | Reply @Rahul: Look at you. Go to any country in the world and Indians are spread like pest and they are asking others to go back to their countries. Every neighborhood in England is sick of curry smell from Indian homes and yet they think they are very popular

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply Is news about these two stupid women is more important than that suicide bomb which killed 60 Muslims in Yemen. Whole middle east is burning, thousands of Muslims are dying every week, millions are fleeing but Muslims settled in West divert attention with minor issues. Shame on them.

Bubble burst | 8 years ago | Reply What would the arms producing countries do if Muslim countries stop buying these high tech, lethal weapons in the name of security? Their industries would release loads of people as unemployed because of shortage of demand for weapons. These countries Stoke the war hysteria to continue their profitable business. No wars, no conflict does not suit them. They keep on raising the bogies and destroying them because it works in their favour. Please don't rob them of a profitable business. After all, money makes the mare go and who are the richest nations, with more money?@rich:

Rahul | 8 years ago | Reply @Reader: Wearing a headscarf is banned in France.

Reader | 8 years ago | Reply @Rahul: Where in the article does it say that the women were not following rules? They were in a restaurant that's no crime.

Reader | 8 years ago | Reply @Rahul Since where inthe article does it sy that the women are not following rules?? They were in a restaurant that's no crime.

shahid | 8 years ago | Reply Lets not let these one off incidents form the basis of our judgement. There are thousands of muslims living happily in France. Are we going to form an opinion on the behaviour of a 'chef' in an unknown eatery god knows where? Why is this even news.

Rahul | 8 years ago | Reply @kamal: Or just go back to your own countries instead. Why live in other countries and not follow their rules???

man like ouzzy | 8 years ago | Reply @rich kind of a problen when you relaise that tghe ones who prescribe your mdeicines or the ones who operate on you are muslims. Kinda a problem when most of the cars people use and eant to use comes need oil from muslim countries. Kinda a problem when christians cluntries are hoping on huge investments from muslim gulf countries. You do know its a two way street roght?

Unknown | 8 years ago | Reply @rich: It seems like you have basic comprehension problems. He is not talking about Christians, he is talking about French. You need to grow your brain bigger than a pea size.

Yousuf | 8 years ago | Reply @kamal: Stupid and Idiotic comment. Why let other people suffer over actions on one racist chef. Your kind on mentality is the bane of social progression.

Pakistan Zindabad | 8 years ago | Reply When they express their feelings (whether right or wrong). It is called Freedom of Expression. But when Muslim Just do something which has no harm. It is called Racism. What a time (not) to be alive.

rich | 8 years ago | Reply kamal 26 minutes ago Reply It is very easy. Retaliate with twice the intensity. There are many French companies trying or doing business in Muslim countries. Boycott them, put intense rude and unhospitable pressure on any French people living in Muslim countries. Let them know we can hit back, hard kamal more muslim stay in non muslim countries then non muslim in muslim countries when they do the same let see who feels the pressure more u boycott Christian goods, what would u do for medicines, cars, hitech gadgets ect travel on camels I guess even arms are imported by muslim countries to protect u from terrorist reg the restaurant owners his restaurant his rule he loses customers

kamal | 8 years ago | Reply It is very easy. Retaliate with twice the intensity. There are many French companies trying or doing business in Muslim countries. Boycott them, put intense rude and unhospitable pressure on any French people living in Muslim countries. Let them know we can hit back, hard.

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