Muslim student ordered to remove her hijab in McDonald's says an apology isn't enough as she praises the white man who stepped in to defend her

The student was told to take off her hijab by security guard in North London
Her friend filmed the member of staff at the restaurant telling her to remove it
After refusing, she was told to stop filming by another member of staff
The British Muslim said she was in 'disbelief' and said her friend was 'shocked'
McDonald's apologised for incident but student says it is not enough

Published: 10:44 GMT, 6 December 2017 | Updated: 11:51 GMT, 6 December 2017

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A Muslim woman who was told to remove her hijab in a branch of McDonald's because it was a 'security threat' has said the chain's apology is not good enough.

The fast food giant said sorry after the 19-year-old woman filmed a security guard telling her to take off her headscarf or leave the restaurant.

The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the guard stopped her in Holloway, North London, branch and told her to remove her hijab because it was 'a security threat'.

The security guard said the 19-year-old must remove her hijab before entering the restaurant in North London

She said the guard looked shocked when she refused but continued to ask, leading her to film the exchange on her phone.

Now, she has told the BBC Asian Network McDonald's apology 'is not enough'.

She said: 'They basically said that the security guard was employed by a third-party company and so what they're trying to say is, "We don't condone his conduct but we can't be held responsible because we're not the people who hire them".

'But if you're going to use a separate company you need to be aware of what kind of policies they have, especially in a city like London.

The security guard told the Muslim student to remove her headscarf before she entered the restaurant

'That just reflects how current this issue is - almost anyone could actually believe that I am a security threat.'

Her friend Sabrina uploaded the video to Twitter, under the username @south-sab, and shows the young woman say: 'Why can't I come into McDonald's? Because I'm wearing a hijab? I'm sorry but can you please say it?'

The security guard replies: 'It's just a matter of taking it off.'

The woman then says: 'It's not just a matter of taking it off. I wear this for religious reasons and I'm not ashamed of it, and I will stand in line and I will get the food I want, because this isn't OK.'

The student was told to take her headscarf off before entering this McDonald's in North London

'A white British national... stood up for her,' said Sabrina. 'People on social media were praising the man who defended her.

'As a non-hijab wearing Muslim, I recognise my privilege in society. Discrimination that I might face isn't necessarily as overt.

'For a quiet, peaceful life, I wouldn't wear it.'

When the security guard was told he cannot ask the woman to remove her hijab by a member of the public, he says: 'It's none of your business.'

The woman responds: 'I am sorry but I just want to know who is implementing this policy because this is f****** ridiculous.'

Voices can then be heard telling her 'don't be rude' and 'stop swearing' and she replies: 'I am not being rude. I am so shocked right now.'

A member of staff tells her friend to stop filming, to which she says it 'is my legal right to film whatever is happening right now.'

The student was told not be rude by when she called the security guard's request 'f****** ridiculous'

When the woman is finally told she will be able to come into the restaurant, she replies: 'I don't want want anything any more.'

The video ends with the woman saying: 'I have been living in the UK for 19 years now and this is the first time I'm faced with this kind of discrimination and I am shocked. I am actually shocked.'

She told the Guardian: 'I thought: 'It's finally happening to me,' like it has to so many hijabis.

'It didn't feel real because I had seen so many videos like this and it was finally happening to me in real life. I was in so much disbelief.

The woman was eventually told she could enter the McDonald's but has vowed never to eat there again following the exchange

'The friend I was with was shocked and scared, and said it was a risky situation. When it was over, I finally realised how these situations can become dangerous. This is not a one-off thing.

'I will never walk into a McDonald's again.'

A McDonald's spokeswoman said the franchise 'does not have a policy in place which restricts or prevents anyone wearing a hijab, or any other religious dress, from entering' its restaurants.

'We welcome customers of all faiths and would like to apologise to the customer as this situation should not have taken place,' she said.

'We are taking this matter extremely seriously and are addressing this with the individuals involved.'

Chief executive Paul Pomry said: 'I am deeply sorry that this happened, and am taking the matter very seriously.

'We welcome people of all faiths and do not have any policy which restricts or prevents anyone wearing a hijab, or any other religious attire, in our restaurants.

'The restaurant involved is managed and owned by Amir Atefi, a franchisee.

'Mr Atefi is proud of his diverse workforce, and was upset and concerned to hear how one of his valued customers has been treated.'