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20th Nov 2015

Zara Accused of Islamophobia As Security Guard Refuses Muslim Woman Entry to Paris Store

The employee has reportedly been fired

Cassie Delaney

Zara are under fire this week after a video allegedly showing a security guard refusing to allow a Muslim woman to enter a store.

The video was uploaded the day after the Paris Attacks and has amassed over half a million views.

The security guard is seen telling the woman that the store policy does not permit any headgear to be worn in the store. Twitter users have responded accusing the store of Islamophobia.

The security guard can be heard telling the woman that the policy is made by the store. “If things change, they’ll change, but I don’t make the rules,” he says.

“This type of mentality is unheard of at Zara and there have never been instructions given out to act this way,” Jean-Jacques Salaun, Zara’s head of French stores, told AFP. He also said he apologised to the shopper, and the brand took to Facebook to apologise to offended customers.

A French law introduced in 2010 prevents anyone from wearing a full face covering in public, but the law doesn’t apply to the hijab, which only covers the hair.