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

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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6apVLiKBffI 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.

Half of my wardrobe are from Zara. But today, just by being a disgusting #Islamophobia, Zara is no longer on my shopping list. #BoycottZARA

— هناء (@nurulhanarosli) November 18, 2015

So Zara in France has now made a decision to not let any women wearing headscarves into their store? This is messed up. #BoycottZARA — zaina (@zalakzzz) November 18, 2015

#BoycottZARA So you think you're going to eliminate TERRORISM by doing RACISM.. pic.twitter.com/Chyfiq2wwS

— Fizzah Khan Ghouri (@imfizzahkhan) November 18, 2015

#BoycottZARA Why would you deny a women to enter because of a headscarf? This is #inhuman & disgusting! Shame on you ZARA — SArah (@Sarah_MH6) November 18, 2015

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.