A Gary, Indiana, woman says that she was kicked out of a store for wearing a niqab and hijab, and she captured part of the discriminatory moment on video.
On Monday, Sarah Safi went to a Family Dollar store to get charcoal for a family barbecue when she was told to leave because of her religious garment.
“I might have made it 10 steps into the store and I hear the lady behind the counter say, ‘Ma’am, you need to take that off your face or you need to leave my store,’” Safi said.
Safi then began to record the interaction as she explained that she wore the garments for religious reasons.
“I understand, but you have to understand too this is a high crime area and we get robbed a lot. You need to remove that from your face or remove yourself from the store,” the clerk said.
“I told her this country is a country of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and I have a right to wear whatever I want,” Safi said.
Safi said that when the clerk insisted she leave, she had to ask herself if she wanted to make a scene: “Do I wait for the police to come and let my children see this, or do I go head and just go and let Allah handle it how he sees fit?”
Ultimately, she decided to leave, but she was disappointed that the interaction occurred at all.
“I’m really saddened. I was born here, raised here all my life and I’ve never been to an establishment and been treated like this,” Safi said.
